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

Accountability and Oversight
Social Development
Public Accounts
Procedure and Privileges
Member Kieron Testart
Range Lake
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Email
Phone
(867) 767-9143

Statements in Debates

Member's Statement on Mineral Resources Regulatory Regime
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 53)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at this point, we have roughly six months left until our time as MLAs for this Assembly wraps up, and I am happy to hear that the long-awaited Mineral Resources Act will finally be made public. Today, I would like to address the Minister's comments rather than the particulars of the legislation itself.

The Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment has spoken at length, in public and in this House, about the benefits of the new act. It will bring:

improved regulatory certainty, while respecting treaty rights;

more benefits to communities from mining...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 53)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that the chair rise and report progress. Thank you.

Question 537-18(3): Mineral Resources Act
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 53)

Surely, the Minister is happy with the quality of the consultations and is happy with what the bill is going out there. I acknowledge that differences are what makes this House so strong and what makes our society so strong, but to hear that from the Minister makes me question whether he is satisfied with the quality of the legislation. Can the Minister clarify that?

Question 537-18(3): Mineral Resources Act
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 53)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, based on the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment's public comments on the proposed Mineral Resource Act, I have to ask: has this act been written with the collaboration of all stakeholders, or is the Minister rushing to check off a mandate commitment for the piece of legislation that nobody is happy with? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Motion 31-18(3): Request for Government of the Northwest Territories to Enter Binding Arbitration with Union of Northern Workers, Defeated
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 52)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to stand in support of this motion that calls for binding arbitration as the clear resolution to the collective bargaining dispute between the government and the Union of Northern Workers, and leave us with a 100 percent chance of a no strike situation.

This motion should be uncontroversial. The honourable Members of this House have risen many times to call for a fair deal that respects both sides of the dispute and results in a new collective agreement between the government and its workers. This motion will achieve that result, a result that has not been...

Question 530-18(3): Raising the Northwest Territories Debt Limit
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 52)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I appreciate that these are separate topics, but they are somewhat intrinsically linked. You either have money to spend or money to spend through borrowing. If we are not getting it from TFF, then we are going to have to raise taxes. Obviously, 45,000 people cannot exactly bear that burden or provide the government with the resources it needs to take on these projects, so is the Minister willing to bring TFF into this conversation? I am fine with either approach, but we need a strategy to get these projects done.

Question 530-18(3): Raising the Northwest Territories Debt Limit
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 52)

So I think I am hearing it's fair to characterize this as early stages of discussions. When is the Minister going to involve this side of the House in those discussions? It would be nice to know what's driving this, what our fiscal needs are, and what he is asking his federal counterpart for. Can the Minister let us know when we are going to be involved in those discussions?

Member's Statement on Celebration of Life of Michael Ferguson, former Auditor General of Canada
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 52)

Mr. Speaker, it is with heartfelt sorrow that I rise today to pay my respects to Michael Ferguson. Mr. Ferguson passed away at the age of 60 after a prolonged battle with cancer.

I worked very closely with Mr. Ferguson, or Mike as he was affectionately known, in his role as the auditor general for the NWT and for Canada. He upheld his responsibilities to the people of the Northwest Territories and all Canadians with integrity, honesty, and passion. His dedication to transparency and accountability, in these times where it is harder and harder to know what is "really real," was and still is a...

Tabled Document 328-18(3): Employee Acknowledgement & Waiver - Crossing Picket Line
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 52)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to table the following document, "Employee Acknowledgement & Waiver - Crossing Picket Line." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 530-18(3): Raising the Northwest Territories Debt Limit
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 52)

Thank you to the Minister for that commitment. It's very much appreciated. I wonder if these talks are going to dovetail with the territorial financing formula discussions that are upcoming. Can the Minister provide any clarity on that?