Kieron Testart

Member Range Lake

Kieron Testart was elected to the 20th Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly to represent the constituency of Range Lake.

Mr. Testart was born on March 22, 1985, in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. He was raised in the Northwest Territories, first residing in Tuktoyaktuk and later in Yellowknife, where Mr. Testart now lives with his family, his diverse background and wealth of experiences have shaped his commitment to community development and effective governance.

Mr. Testart was elected as Member of the Legislative Assembly for Kam Lake in the 18th Legislative Assembly, where he demonstrated a keen understanding of the issues facing his constituents. Beyond his legislative roles, Kieron has contributed significantly to the economic development of the region. Serving as the Director of Economic Development for the Yellowknives Dene First Nation from 2021 to 2023. Mr. Testart’s commitment to education and language advocacy is evident in his role as Program Coordinator for Canadian Parents for French from 2020 to 2021. His efforts have extended to policy analysis within the Government of the Northwest Territories and serving as Deputy Sheriff from 2009 to 2014.

Academically, Kieron holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from the University of Lethbridge (2004-2009) and a Certificate in Parliamentary Governance from McGill University (2017).

Married to Colleen, he is the proud father of Corbin, Eve, and Leander. In addition to his professional pursuits, Kieron finds joy in various hobbies and interests, including a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport, a love for film and theatre, grassroots activism, and an avid curiosity about international affairs.

Kieron's commitment to community extends beyond the political realm. As a dedicated volunteer, he has been actively involved in various capacities, including serving on the NWT Federal Liberal Association Board of Directors since 2011, contributing to the Liberal Party of Canada. His volunteer experience also includes a position on the NWT Branch Board of Directors for Canadian Parents for French from 2014 to 2020 and mentoring youth with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada in 2014-2015.

Range Lake Electoral District

Committees

Kieron Testart
Range Lake
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Extension
12150
Constituency Office
Email

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 90)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister -- can the Minister commit to have a legislative proposal in place by the May-June session for the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight to review? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 90)

Thank you. Nine months of exhaustive review, study, conversations, meetings, so a lot of work has been done on this already. When will the Minister bring forward the same or better coverage for first responders? Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 90)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister responsible for the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission has said many times that he supported Bill 29 and what Bill 29 proposed to do, not just the principle of it but the actual clauses which would have expanded coverage for first responders. Can the Minister confirm that he will bring forward a bill that includes the same coverage for first responders that were included in Bill 29? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 90)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was going to give a different statement but given your ruling, which I support 100 percent, I just wanted to comment on some of the processes we use in our Assembly to move issues forward that are important to our constituencies.

I have moved two Private Member's bills forward in my time in this Assembly, and in both cases I shared the principles of those bills with Members of the government. I shared it with my colleagues as well, and I tried to work as collaboratively as possible. For the most recent decision -- or the most recent legislative initiative, both debates...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 90)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this would have been done today if things had gone differently. Anyway, Mr. Speaker, we need a commitment. If he can't do May-June, can he do the fall sitting? Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 90)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am going to return to the Minister responsible for the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission. He just mentioned that he has asked the WSCC to speed up legislative development to bring forward the coverage, increased coverage for first responders. So what does that mean? Speed up from what? We need some timelines here. Saying in the fullness of time or saying by the end of the term, that's not reliable. I am looking for clear commitments. We need them now, especially because we've just lost nine months. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 90)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question was, the Minister has publicly said he supports the bill. Will he bring forward the same coverage that was in that bill? That's what support means. That's what firefighters and first responders are respecting -- or are expecting. So will the Minister make that commitment today? Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 90)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize a page from Range Lake, Isaac Strader, who was with us for the marathon day yesterday. He's also great with a fidget spinner. Thank you so much for all the work you do, helping support your democracy and being a young leader in your community.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 89)

Merci, Monsieur le President. [Translation] The only post-secondary French institution was opened in Canada, north of the 66th parallel, ever since its founded inception. In 2011, the college has continued to develop its programs and placed Northwest Territories as an educational pole in terms of Francophone education. The success of this initiative is such that their partnerships go beyond our borders, with Yukon and Nunavut. As such, the College Nordique Francophone is positioned to begin to serve Francophone communities throughout the North, and therefore creating a unique educational...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 89)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, and granted that these will be different programs. So just to clarify, this -- will there be -- what are the strings attached to this new funding so education bodies can understand? Is it the same policies that covered inclusive education -- or inclusive schooling funding before, or are we expanding the criteria to ensure the dollars reach farther and address some of those things that Jordan's Principle was filling? Because that's partially why we're so dependent on Jordan's Principle, the money wasn't going far enough, and it wasn't being -- it couldn't be...