Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister mentioned the wage grid, and I understand that the wage grid has been provided and the wage grid has been broken into zones for the territory. The concern for the Children's First Society in Inuvik is that they are in zone B while the surrounding communities are in zone C, and I wonder if the Minister can provide a little update as to why that is. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this isn't yet a done conversation. The department is still working with this sector in order to figure out what works best for everybody involved. And this is a relationship that I am absolutely committed to. I have spoken with the association and let them know that I consider our first meeting the first of many. I want to maintain that open working relationship, and child care is something that I absolutely have benefitted from as a working parent in the territory, and I intend to see other working parents receive the same benefit as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Oral questions. Member from Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's distressing for many that Canadian citizens are indirectly enabling the ongoing human tragedy in Gaza through the sale of arms and military goods. Will the Premier write to the Prime Minister of Canada and ask that he stop the sale of arms and military goods to Israel during this conflict? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Great Slave. Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That's a national conversation. That's a federal government conversation. And I've taken the approach during this government to not wade into international affairs. We're focusing on our jurisdiction. There's a lot of work to do here. And I appreciate the sensitivities around this. I appreciate the comments the Member made earlier. There's no way that people cannot be moved by hearing that. But the Government of the Northwest Territories is focused on territorial affairs. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's disappointing to hear that from the Premier because it is a territorial issue. We do have members of the Palestinian community here in the Northwest Territories. And so, Mr. Speaker, I would ask if the Premier would be willing to meet with local members of that community to hear firsthand the impacts on NWT residents with family in Gaza. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We've reached out to all MLAs and encouraged them to organize constituency tours where the MLA would set up -- we would go to the MLA's riding and meet with whoever the MLA would like us to meet with. So if the MLA would like to organize that meeting, I will attend. Thank you.

Really more of a comment, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, I will reach out to the Premier.

More of a comment. Oral questions. Member from Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with respect to my Member's statement today, I want to point out to how important -- I should say maybe it this way. I want to reaffirm how important seniors and elders are to me and our community. And I have no doubt every Member on the Member's side is feeling just as strongly that we care very deeply for our seniors and our elders, and we want to support them.

So my first question would be directed to the Premier, asking the question -- and perhaps maybe he can explain as the question why we don't have at least one Minister fully responsible for seniors and elders in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. During this government, I chose not to assign any portfolios that had been assigned in previous governments that where Ministers responsible for something without a budget. So we don't have a Minister responsible for seniors, a Minister responsible for youth. And that was a conscious decision on my part because I saw those portfolios, and I heard from the Ministers who oversaw those portfolios, and I didn't think they were working based on everything that I saw and that I heard. When you are a Minister responsible for seniors with no budget, what is the point of that portfolio? I believe Mr. Speaker used to be the Minister responsible for youth so he might be able to relate to some of these comments. But that being said, the two Ministers who have the largest relationship with seniors in terms of their portfolio have met with the NWT Seniors Society - the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment and the Minister of Health -- and they've had those conversations. So that relationship is still there. There isn't any specific Minister to go to, a Minister of seniors, which traditionally was the Health Minister. Instead, now groups like the Seniors Society can go meet with the Ministers who are working with them, so the Minister of Health and the Minister of ECE. So if anything, I see this as a way to create more conversations and more relationships. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that relationship already existed before this Premier took office. So the Simpson government has created the new position of doing less as the appearance of doing more from the sounds of it. Perhaps maybe he can explain how this is actually better, because the previous relationship worked just fine but we've taken away the symbolism, the prominence, the emphasis of a Minister responsible for seniors. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm more concerned about actions than symbols. So I want the Ministers to work for seniors, not to have a token portfolio with no money or authority attached to it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there lies the opportunity. The Premier could have had the courage to put money behind the portfolio and dignity and respect finally in a portfolio that's supposed to mean so much to so many. Why doesn't the Premier have the courage to make that proposal to Members now? Because not one of us would say no to supporting seniors. Thank you.

Members, please direct to me as the chair and don't direct it to your colleagues on the other side. Thank you. Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Member from Yellowknife Centre. Final supplementary.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm not sure how the Premier can justify wasting the Assembly's time by not saying how he can help seniors better, Mr. Speaker, by giving the portfolio the respect and due it deserves. If there's a seniors' portfolio in the Government of Canada, I mean my goodness, are they wasting their time? So maybe the Minister can chair -- sorry, the Premier can clarify why that wouldn't serve them better? Thank you.

Thank you. So I've been asked the question four times of why we don't have a portfolio for seniors, a token portfolio with no money attached, and it's because based on my experience I have seen those portfolios and I don't believe that they've been effective. I'd rather focus on actions than empty symbols. Thank you.

Oral questions. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our fiscal situation is worsening. The economy is going faster -- is not going fast enough, and several disasters has put further strains on our finances yet small communities across the North are facing severe problems relating to housing, housing repairs, infrastructure, and services they require, serious investment, economic investment, social progress, fiscal constraints are competing priorities this government must balance. My questions is to the Minister of Finance.

Can the Minister of Finance provide an update on the deficit and debt position of the Northwest Territories? Mahsi.

Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Minister of Finance.