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

Member Kieron Testart
Range Lake
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 3)

I think that to start off I'd like to thank all the colleagues and all the MLAs for their hard work on this document and for collaborating effectively to bring something complete to the table. That being said, there are several issues with this process that I think need to be improved upon. The mandate ought not to be a business plan. We have business plans for those. It ought not to be a budget document. We have a budget process for those. What it ought to be is a set of political commitments that are gathered together to form a concise plan that gives certainty to Members of this House and...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 3)

Given the imminent concerns of our fiscal situation in the Northwest Territories, will there be costsaving efficiencies as a result of standardizing care in the NWT?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 3)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Given the importance of the health care system and that any major changes to it are significant concern for our residents, will the Minister of Health and Social Services provide an explanation for the delay of the transformation of health care in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 3)

Mr. Speaker, one of the highest priorities of any government must be the health and well-being of its citizens. The delivery of quality and affordable healthcare is a cornerstone of good government in Canada and it's something that Northerners have come to expect. Yet the standards of the Northwest Territories' healthcare system vary wildly across regions and not all of our residents have the same standard of care. The 17th Assembly recognized the need to take action on improving healthcare and began the process of health system transformation in an effort to provide the best possible care to...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 3)

I would like to speak in support of my colleague's motion. When we are speaking of our overall vision moving forward, reminding people of some very specific point in time, entirely relevant statistics and fiscal challenges are not as helpful to a plan, a plan to move ahead. I would prefer, if we are going to speak to these challenges, that we do it in the context of the initiatives we are going to use to get around these, rather than focusing on the specific numbers that are representative of our economy in decline and challenges to our government. I would rather see those numbers reflected in...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 3)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and onto the point of improved health care. Will there be reduced wait times and more access to medical professionals after the implementation of the new system? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 3)

On to the issue of regional wellness committees, what progress has been made in selecting those committees? What kinds of input are going into those choices?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 3)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd also like to recognize Mandee McDonald and Erin Freeland Ballantyne. Both work with Dechinta Centre for Research and Learning, which is a great made-in-the-North post-secondary institution, and it's good to see them here. Thank you.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 2)

The Mining Incentive Program is very similar to a program they have in Yukon as well. However, the Yukon program is nearly twice as large in available funding and has additional funding for late-stage advancement projects. Will the Premier commit to reviewing the program and possibly expanding it, given the importance of getting exploration back on track in the Northwest Territories?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 2)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the Minister of Finance on his statement on the fiscal update this morning. It's good to have some facts on the ground for us to consider and some clear projects for moving our economy forward.

I also agree with his assertion that the tax base at this time is too low to fuel the kind of revenues that we require. However, the low-hanging fruit of our economy has always been the mining sector, and of course our Territorial Formula Financing Grant. These are areas that we can work to directly expand by making the Northwest Territories...