Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. I guess I'll just ask -- and I pretty much know this answer, but do we expect the -- I guess a better question is when do we expect the health authority will not run a deficit? I'm quite confident given COVID this last fiscal, they will run a deficit and likely probably in the budget we're passing will also run one. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Yes, thank you. It's difficult to imagine how the health system is going to continue spending at the current rate with this incremental budget and at the same time retire this huge debt. There have been high level discussions by the council of the federation on the Canada health transfer which are led, in our case, by the Premier. So it would -- it would assist us to -- to obviously get a bigger grant from Canada. But even so, retiring a $160 million deficit is -- is going to be a big challenge unless we become a fabulously wealthy oil producing entity. Thank you.

Thank you. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Yes, thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, this budget includes an additional staff person for the office of the public guardian, recognizing that the caseload is increasing with people who need those services as either they age or in some cases as our population grows and some of the needs are more acute, and so they need the office of the public guardian. The current wait times in the office of the public guardian, I would have to ask the deputy minister if he can answer that.

Deputy minister Cooper.

Thank you. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am very happy to hear that. I think that is a much-needed position. I didn't hear it in your highlights too, but I think it is a highlight that would make some progress on that.

I believe that office also has been tasked with some policy work and possibly getting the Public Guardian and Trusteeship Act updated. The big issue here is -- my understanding is that certain people with disabilities are not quite meeting the criteria for public guardianship, but they probably should, and in some cases, you know, their caretakers or they themselves would like to. I'm just wondering if we have an update on whether we will see changes to the Public Guardian and Trustee Act. Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Yes, thank you, Madam Chair. In our current legislative summary for this Assembly, this work is not contemplated. So I would say that it wouldn't come forth until the 20th Assembly at this point. Thank you.

Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Lastly, I've had some conversation with the Minister, and the Minister's received some letters about the Salvation Army funding. I guess, so my first question is -- because I actually don't know whether the Bailey House is at all funded by Health. Is that funded by Health and Social Services? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Yes, thank you. No, I don't believe that we do fund the Bailey House. But we do fund withdrawal management, and we do fund the Supported Living Program. Maybe I should turn to the deputy minister for a more complete response. Thank you.

Thank you. Deputy minister Cooper.

Thank you. Member for Yellowknife North.

Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. Yeah, I -- I understood that. I just wanted to make sure there wasn't some other partial money going to Bailey House. I guess my questions is about the supported living, the addictions and aftercare work, and the mental health work that I know NTHSSA supports. But none of those programs have seen a significant increase since I believe 2015, and I believe we actually are working to expand some of it -- or hoping that we can work with the Salvation Army to expand some of their aftercare but they're running into the same problem that I know many people are, is that they can't keep up, you know, without year over year increases. And admittedly, they're also losing staff to GNWT shelter positions which pay a little better. I'm just wondering if the Minister can commit to, you know, reviewing those programs and meeting with the Salvation Army to make sure that, you know, the immediate fiscal pressures they are facing can be addressed. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Minister of Health and Social Services.

Yes, thank you. Yes, I have received correspondence from the Salvation Army, and I appreciate that they are in a difficult position. I recall it from my own time in the nonprofit world of trying to compete with GNWT salaries. And so I'm certainly willing to make that commitment to look at their funding level now and to see how we can support them going forward so that they don't wrestle with this continuous staff turnover. Thank you.

Thank you. Member for Yellowknife North.