Thank you, Madam Minister. Your final supplementary, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, in this area we have the hurdle of legislative priorities, and it is difficult to know how to get something bumped to the front of the agenda. As I indicated earlier, it can be a matter of a lack of political will or it can be a lack of resources to do the drafting. In this case, can the Minister indicate where possible hold-ups might be in bringing forward legislation on palliative care? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the implementation of support programs and services around palliative care do not actually require specific legislation. There are some things related to personal directives and powers of attorney that do require legislation. The powers of attorney legislation -- there has been notice given of a motion in this House to adopt that.

The work on personal directives is being talked about right now as we have a group that is doing community visits and talking to seniors about this. The Department of Health and Social Services has 27 pieces of legislation currently in existence. Most of that is in need of some form of amendment or update, and legislation is required to be drafted in a number of new areas that have been identified as well. Perhaps I could also provide the Member with our legislative schedule for the next while. It is usually planned at least five years in advance. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Minister. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are again for the Minister of Finance. Mr. Speaker, I believe I heard the Minister say earlier today that he thought there were other ways for women to have their own personal tax advisory committee. I believe, in fact, that he suggested they could make written submissions. Mr. Speaker, saying that a woman can make a written submission to a group of men who will then decide what recommendations to pass on to the Minister is far different from being a voting member of that committee.

The point of view brought to the table is different. Mr. Speaker, this committee was named just five days ago. There is time to fix this. Will the Minister commit now to name women to this tax advisory committee? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Finance, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, no. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. By that, I can only assume that the Minister is saying that women's opinions about tax policies do not carry equal weight with men. I think it is unacceptable to keep women from membership on this committee. Does the Minister say that women's opinions on tax policy do not carry the same weight as men? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Finance, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, in the Member's last series of questions on this matter, I said I would listen to whatever advice was given, and I will take it into consideration. I am not prepared to make a commitment to add to the committee today. My answer to adding women or adding seniors or adding youth or anyone else to that committee today, I will not make that decision today.

Certainly women have valuable insight, information, expertise and so on, on these issues, just as valuable as anybody else does, but I cannot just right now make a commitment to add to that committee. If I begin, as I explained, adding on representatives of all interest groups who would want to be on the committee, I would end up with a committee of 30 or 40 people. I am open to looking at ways that we can do this. I have not dismissed entirely the notion of adding to the committee, but I am not prepared to make that commitment today. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister, Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to hear that the Minister will at least consider making such a change. I think it is imperative that he not only consider it, but that he follow through and add women to the committee. Otherwise, its recommendations will, I have no doubt, be seen as flawed by a significant proportion of our population.

What timetable will the Minister take in order to make this consideration? He himself has spoken of the short time that he has to get these recommendations. Five days now into their mandate, how long will he take to make this decision?

Thank you, Mr. Dent. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Finance, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will take as long as necessary to get good information. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Final supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister commit to tell the House by Friday whether or not he has agreed to expand this committee?

Thank you, Mr. Dent. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Finance, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, no, I cannot make that commitment by Friday. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister responsible for the Status of Women. It is along the same line as the questioning that my colleague Mr. Dent has. In the area of taxation, this is something that women are very much affected by, no less than anyone else. I was going to ask the Minister whether there is anything we can do to bring pressure to bear on her colleague, the Minister of Finance, to include women on this committee. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister responsible for the Status of Women, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when we consider drafting policy, legislation and direction for this government, we try to look at things through a lens which does take into account the interests of a broad variety of people, not the least of which of course, is women.

When we talk about representation on committees and boards and ad hoc advisory councils, although it is desirable to have women on here, I must point out that there are quite a number of committees and such groups where women are exclusively the participants. I think of things such as the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Board, which is 100 percent women, which is a Yellowknife organization.

Of course we are interested in women's perspectives being brought to light. However, this can sometimes be accomplished. The general population's interest can be sometimes accomplished by not necessarily having a mix of gender on that committee. Thank you.