Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I just have one quick question in regards to the supplementary health benefits just to add on to the questions from the Member for Yellowknife North. I'm wondering if audiology hardware or hearing aids is being considered as part of this review? There are a small number of adults who are not seniors who require hearing aids and a small number of those who fall into support gaps that are available. And so I'm wondering if this is being considered as part of the review of the supplementary health benefits. Thank you.

Thank you, Member. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'll ask the deputy minister for this, please.

Thank you. Deputy minister Cooper.

Thank you. Are there any further questions under supplementary health benefits? Member for Hay River South.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just want some clarification, I guess. If you have -- if we have Indigenous persons from other parts of Canada residing in the NWT and they have an NWT healthcare card, are they treated or looked at any differently compared to Indigenous people from the Northwest Territories with respect to either NIHB or the health services we provided?

Thank you. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Well, everyone has a -- who is an NWT resident has a healthcare card. So in that sense, there wouldn't be a difference. If the person was eligible for NIHB then they would be eligible here as well as wherever it is that they came from in the first place. If they're Metis, they would not be eligible for coverage here unless their ancestors were here prior to 1921. Is there anything you wanted to add? No, that's the case. Thank you.

Thank you. Member for Hay River South.

Thank you. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you. I'm not aware of any discussions on that point. And I'm seeing nodding at the other end, no. I don't think that is being discussed.

Thank you. Member for -- that's it? Are there any further questions under supplementary health benefits? That'll be the next thing. I'll give it -- I'll bring it to you then. We're almost done. We're almost there.

If there's no further questions under the supplementary health benefits, Health and Social Services, supplementary health benefits, operations expenditure summary, 2022-2023 Main Estimates, $40,262,000. Does committee agree?

Thank you, committee. Committee, if you want to go to page 195 to one ninety -- to 200, then this is the time to ask your questions on the information items. Member for Thebacha.

Madam Chair, I just was looking at the noninsured health benefits. The 2020-2021 Actuals is 20 million 997 then it goes down to the 2022-2023 Mains at 16 million 266. And I guess I just have a concern if the Metis are going to be included in this noninsured health benefits, I think there's a six-month period I read somewhere or something in some of the notes that I've read previously. I just want to make sure that the level of service for everybody within that -- within that noninsured health benefits stays -- stays up to par. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Could you refer this question to Mr. Elkin, please?

Thank you. Mr. Elkin.

Thank you. Member for Thebacha.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to ask also, the noninsured health benefits has always been a problem even when -- when I was in my other leadership role, and I'm sure it's across the territory with all the First Nations and soon-to-be Metis locals and so on. There's a lot of programs that are not covered under that -- that are lacking within this. And I'm just wondering how we could address that. There was a number -- even with -- even with prescriptions, there's -- there's a whole -- it's a major issue. And I remember going to trilateral meetings and I had the people in front of us that are in charge of this, in the Ottawa office that transfers these funds, and it's always been a problem. So I'm just wondering how we as a government could address this. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Minister of Health and Social Services.