“Accounting for those potential [land claims] settlements adds $16.4 billion to the 2023-24 deficit. The government is also writing off $1.2 billion related to now-expired COVID-19 vaccines and personal protective equipment and $3.5 billion in loans the government provided during the pandemic.”
$21.1B of the deficit is *not* money going out the door. It is reporting to adhere to accounting standards.