Shane Thompson

Please be seated. I'd like to thank Karen Mitchell for the reflections today.

Colleagues, today I rise in the House to congratulate the Class of 2026 from two schools in the Nahendeh riding, Liidlii Kue Regional High School and Echo Dene School. This is an important milestone for graduates, their families, teachers, school support staff, and their communities, and I am pleased to recognize their hard work and achievement.

Colleagues, these students completed their high school journey during an extraordinary period that included the global pandemic and all the disruption that came with it. Their education was interrupted, their routines were changed, and they were asked...

Colleagues, I had the opportunity to witness Enbridge Line 21 full-scale emergency response exercise last year at N'dulee Crossing, Fort Simpson and Fort McMurray, underscoring the critical importance of robust emergency preparedness on the Norman Wells Line 21 pipeline system and demonstrated the high standard of training delivered by private industry in partnership with northern and Indigenous communities. This multi-day exercise showed how detailed planning, realistic field deployment, and genuine collaboration can reduce risk to land, water, and communities along the pipeline corridor.

At...

Colleagues, Rock Matte passed away peacefully on May 7, 2026, in Montreal, Quebec, at the age of 67. Born on October 2, 1958, in La Sarre, Quebec, Rock lived a full and dynamic life shaped by curiosity, independence, and a deep commitment to the people he loved. Over the years he called Ottawa, Winnipeg, and Fort Simpson home. In June 2005, he and his family moved to Fort Simpson where he became a valued member of the community. Rock was a member of the Law Society of the Northwest Territories from 2007 to 2017, contributing his knowledge and perspective to the legal field. In 2019, he moved...

Please be seated. I'd like to thank Lilian Elias for the opening blessing.

Colleagues, good afternoon. I am going to keep this short. In this House, I expect to see behaviour, hear debate that makes our residents proud. I do not see and hear that behaviour and debate. Honestly, I am disappointed.

As Speaker of the House, I don't want to hear heckling and jeers. I don't want to see angry looks being directed at one another. I don't want to hear names used in the chamber. We all have titles and expect to use them. I don't want to hear Members of the Legislative Assembly talking over one another...

Colleagues, I would like to recognize three people that I just finished doing the Member's statement on. Chief Melanie Norwegian Menacho, who is her daughter. Janice Norwegian is the oldest sister. And her husband, 90-year-young Douglas Sr. Norwegian, an amazing crib player. So watch out when he's playing crib with you. You're going to lose, so. Welcome to the Assembly. And I thank them very much. They drove in from Jean Marie yesterday and will be driving back on those great roads by infrastructure.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member from Hay River North.

Colleagues, today I'd like to celebrate the life of elder Yvonne Norwegian, a woman who carried love, strength, and traditional wisdom through the Deh Cho and beyond. Yvonne was born on October 13th, 1945, to William and Cecile Antoine.

Yvonne was a respected leader, a devoted mother, and a guiding light to countless children, families, and community members. Her presence was felt not only in Jean Marie River where she served as chief for six years but across the Deh Cho region with her strong belief in Treaty 11. As well, she worked for many years with the district education authority and the...

Colleagues, I wish to table an article from the publication titled Reviving connections: Dene well-being and climate adaptation in Tthets'éhk'edélî. Thank you.

Colleagues, today I am remembering and honouring Ernie McLeod. Ernie was born on May 20, 1945, in his parents' home in Fort Liard. Over the course of his life, he travelled widely, experiencing many places beyond his birthplace. Despite his time away, Fort Liard always remained close to his heart, and in the end he returned to the community where his life began.

Throughout his life, Ernie was known for his strong work ethic and dedication to his community. He operated several businesses over the years, including a taxi service that provided weekly trips for community members to Fort Nelson and...

Colleagues, today I am here to remember and honour Louie Betthale, a man whose life was deeply rooted in the land, in family, and in tradition. Louie was born on January 4th, 1942, at Coles Lake, BC, to William and Germaine Betthale.

From the very beginning, his life was shaped by the bush, by the seasons, and by the people he loved. He grew up learning the ways of the land alongside his father, his brother William, and his in-laws, hunting moose, trapping along the trapline with dog teams long before skidoos, and living a life that demanded resilience, skill, and heart.

Louie was a natural...