I thank the Minister for the answer. It's been seven months so I'm not too familiar with how youth tours are happening presently. My understanding is the youth tours focus on physical literacy presently; however-- it is very important to do this, however, we used to do leadership style with arts, music, leadership opportunities for the youth. Can the Minister speak-- confirm the department will look again at expanding the tours to include these other areas?

Mr. Speaker, as I committed previously I will find out the details. Again, I'm not sure who actually does the tours. I know we provide a lot of funding. I know we do take in a lot of applications from those that are interested in offering youth tours, bringing in guest speakers. I know we take the application, we provide the funding, but I'm not sure if we actually organize the tour itself. We have a number of our people, our youth workers, go out into the communities, and with our recreation partners we have a lot of opportunities that are available for the community. But as to the actual organizing of the youth tours I will confirm that and, again, share it with the Member.

Masi. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I again thank the Minister for his answer. In regards to he spoke about the youth officers and those positions, and I realize in some of the regions right now we have summer students fulfilling mandates for summer programs and that. Can the Minister confirm that these positions will, especially in the South Slave and the Deh Cho, be filled within this fiscal year? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the youth workers in the regions are folks that have been there for a long time, and when they're not running for the Legislative Assembly they continue to provide a lot of good work in the communities. We actually have two of them in here today that we've had to fill their positions after they left, so. I will ensure the Member that we will do what we can to have these positions filled. Again, I leave the running of the department up to the department and I will ask them for an update on specific issues such as this one.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As mentioned earlier in my Member's statement, I direct my questions to the Minister of Lands and it's in regards to the land reformation, I would say, on this new consolidated comprehensive resource management framework. I compliment the Premier on the statements made yesterday on resource development and a draft strategic plan yet to come by the end of this year. Strategies and plans and so on are nice to have; it gives you a foresight on where you are and where you want to go. Part of the approach would be to proceed as mentioned yesterday on consolidating the different departments, Lands, ENR, ITI, Finance, and work in accordance with the Land Use and Sustainable Framework to evolve our legislative, regulatory and policy systems. It seems to me that the sustainable framework exists. If it does, would the Minister of Lands provide some clarity on the current status of our land administration proceedings? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Lands.

Yes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Land Use and Sustainability Framework is our guiding document for sustainable land and resource management. We can assure the Member that in June 2016 we will engage other departments to seek their input on the work completed to date and help shape and develop the implementation plan. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Will the Minister provide some information on how what this existing framework looks like, who is taking the lead role, and what departments are included in supporting the framework?

The Department of Lands is taking the lead role. We are working with other departments that would have an interest in this, and I would have to get the exact departments that are taking part in the work of the committee, and I will share it. I'll share it with the Member.

I know it's set out in our mandate, or this 18thAssembly mandate here, with different time frames on the various initiatives. I just could give some examples: The Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act, tentative target date is 2019; Oil and Gas Operations Act, it's a medium priority and its target is within this Assembly; and another example is NWT Lands Act, the tentative target date, 2018-19 fiscal year; Commissioner's Land Act, 2018-19 fiscal year. There's various initiatives under way. That's why earlier I had mentioned using the words "a comprehensive consolidated approach," if we can get a master framework or maybe even expand on the existing framework that the department's taken a lead role on. So if the Minister would agree to providing a consolidated approach on this new revised plan, if it is going to be a new revised plan, could the Minister provide that to this side, taking into account the various initiatives and dates set out?

With the new authority we got through devolution two years ago, we've had a lot of work to do. We've started the Land Use Sustainability Framework, and this will let us have an opportunity to do some of the work that we need to do. Down the road, we have the Commissioner's Lands Act and the Territorial Lands Act that need to be reviewed if there's some amendments that we can make in the short term. In the longer term, I think the goal of this government is to see the two acts amalgamated, but that is a huge undertaking. We may do some of the preliminary work in the life of this Assembly. But, if there are amendments that we could make to help us with our decision making and streamlining our process, then we'll certainly entertain that, and we will, as I've always said, we will keep committee informed as to some of the plans we have going forward.

My last question, there, Mr. Speaker, is that will the Minister take into account and invite or include comments provided by industry to provide them with some comfort that their expertise or their experiences in dealing in the North, including and following their compliance set out in permits issued, get them involved to provide some oversight or some suggestions? Would the Minister entertain that? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We welcome up comments and suggestions from all interested stakeholders. Obviously, we're going to get some comments from industry, but we will get a lot of comments from the general public, as well. So we welcome all comments and recommendations and advice that we're given. We'll take all that into consideration as we move forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Member for Kam Lake.

Masi. Honourable Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the years, the government has provided gender-based analysis training to senior management, and it's provided on an indeterminate basis and is generally done through the Office of the Status of Women Council.

In 1995, the federal government made a Cabinet decision, required all federal departments and agencies to specifically implement gender-based analyses by establishing an analytical process or framework for assessing the potential impacts of legislation and policies on different groups of women and men. Today, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat ensures that departments and agencies incorporate gender considerations where appropriate into the design of policies, programs, initiatives, and services. Does our equivalent, the executive secretary or Cabinet Secretariat perform the same function as the Treasury Board of Canada in determining if policies, programs, initiatives, and services are in fact incorporating a gender-based analysis or GBA?

Over the years, this government has taken different approaches to gender-based analysis. At one time, we had every department in a room reviewing how to apply gender-based analysis. The conclusion was to have a gender-based lens that was used. We do a similar, very similar, process with social programs, where we apply a social lens. Our Cabinet secretariat performs this function. If all that fails, we do have a Minister responsible for Women that makes sure that a gender-based analysis is applied.

So, if I understand the honourable Premier correctly, there is a gender-based analysis component to the Cabinet Secretariat. What is the consequence if a policy, program, initiative is found, if the design of such a thing is found, to not meet the test for gender-based analysis? Is that program, policy, or the like sent back to the department for review?

Like all Cabinet decision papers if they fail to meet some of the needs of the different lenses that are applied, they are sent back.

Masi. Member for Kam Lake.