Thank you very much for the question.
I believe the settlement that was negotiated was a fair one, and it reflected the inflationary pressures that CAF members were experiencing previously, but we were also mindful that affordability has become a significant issue. In the same way that we talk every day in the House of Commons about the affordability challenges Canadians are facing from coast to coast to coast, those same challenges are extended to the members of the Canadian Armed Forces.
One of the things we have tried to do.... You mentioned, for example, that some of the funding has been shifted. We might talk about the housing supports that were available to all members. A decision was made to make those housing supports available to a broader range of people, but particularly for the lower incomes of the Canadian Armed Forces. Providing the same level of benefits to those who make very high salaries as to those who make very low salaries didn't seem to be an issue of fairness. The people who made less needed more help, so we made some changes to enable them to do that.
We also realized that the impact of that change could be pretty significant for somebody who suddenly lost a benefit, so there was work done—I think good work was done—to make sure that the introduction of those changes would be phased in over a three-year period. People at the higher wage levels are experiencing a change in their benefit, but it won't be immediately impactful because it's being phased in over a three-year period.
I believe this gives an opportunity. We're trying to be very careful with the money we have to ensure that it is used to the best benefit of those who need it the most.