Jay Macdonald

Member Thebacha

Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Minister of Justice
Government House Leader

Jay Macdonald was elected to the 20th Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly to represent the constituency of Thebacha. Mr. Macdonald was elected to the Executive Council of the 20th Assembly.

Mr. Macdonald was born on June 26, 1964, in the town of Hay River, Northwest Territories. As an Indigenous Métis, Jay's roots run deep in the Northern Canadian landscape, and his journey has been marked by diverse experiences that have enriched both his personal and professional life.

Mr. Macdonald’s family relocated to Fort Smith in 1970. Mr. Macdonald successfully managed his small engine repair shop, providing essential services to the community and establishing himself as a reliable entrepreneur. Simultaneously, he delved into the intricacies of recreation facility management, overseeing operations at the local arena and golf course.

In his 13-year tenure as the Manager of Forest Management Services with the Environment and Conservation Division of the Government of the Northwest Territories, Mr. Macdonald demonstrated an unwavering commitment to environmental stewardship.

Mr. Macdonald’s dedication to youth development is evident in his 12-year role as the House Parent Program Coordinator for the Western Arctic Leadership Program. For five years, he served as a house parent, providing a nurturing environment for students from Lutsel Ke attending PWK High School. This experience not only showcased his compassion but also contributed significantly to the academic and personal growth of the students under his care.

Drawing on his expertise as a Journey Person Small Equipment Technician, Mr. Macdonald spent 13 years managing a Polaris dealership and served as an Instructor for Small Equipment Maintenance, Aviation Fuel Management, and Logistics disciplines under the Incident Command System.

Mr. Macdonald’s commitment to community extends beyond his professional roles. As a dedicated volunteer, he served as President and Coach of Fort Smith Minor Hockey, nurturing young talent and instilling the values of teamwork and sportsmanship. His coaching prowess extended to the national stage as he led Team NWT at the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships.

In his role as a representative of the Fort Smith Métis Nation on the local District Education Association Board, Mr. Macdonald contributed to shaping educational policies that reflect the unique needs of the community. Additionally, he served as a Board Member and Chair of the Northwest Territories Apprenticeship and Occupational Certification Board, advocating for the recognition and advancement of skilled trades.

Mr. Macdonald’s commitment to community welfare is further evidenced by his involvement in various local activities and events. Whether coaching minor sports or contributing to volunteer initiatives, he has consistently worked towards creating a vibrant and cohesive community fabric.

Outside of his professional and community engagements, Mr. Macdonald has a full family life. He is married to Karen, is a proud father to three children, and a doting grandfather to three grandchildren.

In his leisure time, Jay indulges in hobbies that reflect his love for the outdoors. Golfing, fishing, gardening, and enjoying the vast Northern landscapes are among his favorite pastimes.

Thebacha Electoral District:

Committees

Jay Macdonald
Thebacha
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Jay_Macdonald@ntassembly.ca
Phone
(867) 767-9143 (link is a phone number)
Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Minister
Email
Jay_Macdonald@gov.nt.ca

Statements in Debates

Question 443-20(1): Fast-Tracking Critical Minerals Projects
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 39)

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it certainly has been a regulation and land use etcetera have been a topic of -- a common topic with the Council of Leaders and at that table, and, you know, as we work forward together to try and address some of the challenges of fast tracking, if we want to call it that, but, you know, moving the regulatory process at a quicker pace, it certainly involves a lot of communication and ensuring that we have, you know -- we have the Intergovernmental Council legislative developmental process that we use to do this work, and I think it's really important...

Question 438-20(1): Land Transfers to Municipalities
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 39)

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd certainly be happy to engage with any of the communities that are interested in advancing this process on, you know, a bulk land transfer and certainly more than open to having the officials from the specific communities or multiple communities come and have that discussion with the department on the options that are available to us within the current guidelines and legislation that we have to follow and always, you know, interested in having the bigger conversation about what we could potentially look at doing going forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker...

Question 438-20(1): Land Transfers to Municipalities
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 39)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the department is committed to working with all communities interested in bulk land transfers. To this regard, currently we've received one request from the city of Yellowknife regarding a bulk land transfer and currently the department is working with the city on their request. As part of our daily operations, ECC land management and administration works directly with the communities on individual transfer requests. And currently the division is working on over 152 applications that are in the system. And of those, 98 have passed through the consultation...

Question 430-20(1): Quarrying and Land-Use Permits
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 38)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, no, there are no current changes being considered. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 430-20(1): Quarrying and Land-Use Permits
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 38)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as mentioned, quarry permits are not issued for the same purpose or under the same authority as the land use permit. The GNWT are unable to delegate consultation obligations for quarry permits, for example the land and water board, or other organizations that may issue land use permits. The department, we're always interested in considering ways to better coordinate processes and other regulatory -- with other regulatory agencies. And I'll ask the department to explore any possibilities in this regard. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 426-20(1): Public Lands Act Regulations Update
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 38)

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we work through this process, like I said at the technical working group level and as we move on to the final stages, our hope is to have this work completed and have the draft final regulations prepared by the late to end of summer of 2025. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 426-20(1): Public Lands Act Regulations Update
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 38)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Public Lands Act was passed in the 19th Legislative Assembly. Regulations are required to bring the Act into force. This government is committed to working collaboratively with our Indigenous government partners through the Intergovernmental Council on the development of the lands and resource legislation and regulation. The Public Lands Act and regulation is one of the pieces of legislation that is moving through the process right now. There's currently a technical working group under the Intergovernmental Council Secretariat which includes...

Question 430-20(1): Quarrying and Land-Use Permits
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 38)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the department continues to use the same processes as it has in the past. We remain committed to working with industry stakeholders navigating the quarry permit application process to better communicate clearly with industry as well as the other people in the territory how this whole process works. And I'll commit today to, you know, work with the Member. I understand that there's a specific issue in his constituency that he would like addressed, so I'll stand here today and commit to following up with the Member to better understand the issue and the...

Question 430-20(1): Quarrying and Land-Use Permits
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 38)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, consultation taken under the quarry permits is not additional consultation to that undertaking by the land and water board for the land use permits. Quarry permits and land use permits are two different authorizations under two separate authorities and under two separate pieces of legislation. Quarry permits are issued by the GNWT, where land use permits are issued by the appropriate land and water board across the NWT except for in the ISR.

For a quarry permit -- for quarry operations, both a quarry permit and a land use permit are required. For example...

Question 426-20(1): Public Lands Act Regulations Update
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 38)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question. Our hope is to reach consensus with the technical working group very soon which will allow us to proceed to the next steps in the process. Once the technical working group has reached consensus, the next step would be to reengage with the technical advisory panel made of interested public stakeholder groups, and the proposed regulations would be discussed at that time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.