Member Nahendeh

Speaker

Shane Thompson was re-elected to the 20th Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly after serving in the 18th and 19th Assemblies representing the constituency of Nahendeh. Mr. Thompson is the Honorable Speaker of the 20th Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly.

Mr. Thompson was first elected to the 18th Assembly in November 2015 and served as Chair of the Standing Committee on Social Development. Mr. Thompson was also a member of the Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning, the Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures, and the Striking Committee.

Mr. Thompson was born on July 11, 1963, in Hay River. He has lived in Kugluktuk (Coppermine), Inuvik, Hay River, and in Edmonton, while at the University of Alberta. Fort Simpson has been his home since 1992.

Mr. Thompson previously served two terms (three years each) as an elected official with the Fort Simpson District Education Authority, spending the last four years as the chairperson. Over the past 35 years, he has served on various community and territorial boards.

Mr. Thompson was employed as the Senior Sport and Recreation Coordinator with Municipal and Community Affairs (GNWT) in the Deh Cho region before being elected as a Member.

Mr. Thompson completed the Community Recreation Leaders Program at Arctic College in 1989 and is currently working on a Masters Certificate on Evaluation at the University of Victoria and Carleton University. He also completed three years towards an Education degree at the University of Alberta.

Mr. Thompson is an active volunteer with Northern Youth Aboard, CBET and Fundamental Movement, and HIGH FIVE®. As well, he is a past member of the Sport North Federation Board, NWT Softball and of NWTRPA, and the past president of Seven Spruce Golf Course.

Mr. Thompson is the father of seven children - five daughters and two sons – and has nine grandchildren.

He has been a Justice of the Peace since 1991.

Nahendeh Electoral District

Committees

Board of Management
Shane Thompson
Nahendeh
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Shane_thompson@ntassembly.ca
Phone
867-767-9141 (link is a phone number)
Extension
11128
Constituency Office

9706-100th Street
Fort Simpson NT X0E 0N0
Canada

Phone
867-695-3780(link is a phone number)

Statements in Debates

Question 803-18(3): Property Tax Arrears Program
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 83)

That is good to hear, and I hope the Minister will actually reach out to us MLAs, too, and get that information out to us. Will the Minister's department be working with residents as part of this program to establish an affordable payment program, and how does it have an impact on people who have already entered into a payment program?

Question 803-18(3): Property Tax Arrears Program
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 83)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister of Finance made a statement on the Property Tax Arrears program earlier today, and I thank the Minister for this statement. This has been a big issue for the community of Fort Liard, and I have spoken with the Minister a number of times on this issue. Can the Minister provide any further details on this program, besides what he has already said in his Minister's statement? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Member's Statement on Athletic Achievements in Nahendeh
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 83)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I rise in the House to speak about some amazing accomplishments for some constituents from the Nahendeh region this summer.

Mr. Speaker, in December 2017, Jessie Loutit received a call from Rowing Canada's head coach, officially inviting her to join the national team starting in January 2018. With this official invitation to join the team, she is now a carded athlete with Sport Canada with an ultimate goal of representing Canada at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

On August 8, Jessie and her partner, Larissa Werbicki, took another step towards this ultimate goal by...

Committee Motion 172-18(3): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on the Review of Bill 48: Post-Secondary Education Act – Government Response to Recommendations, Carried
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 83)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I will be brief, as I have already done opening comments on the report. First and foremost, I would like to thank the Minister and her department for their willingness to work with us. It was a pleasure working with them. We had quick responses back and forth to get this bill done in a timely manner. Again, I would like to thank her staff for working with the staff from the Legislative Assembly. The staff worked extremely hard. I would like to thank them. I would also like to thank committee for all their hard work moving forward on this. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Question 799-18(3): Highway Infrastructure Projects and Application of Business Incentive Policy
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 82)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for the clarification. I guess his definition of fair and my definition of fair is a little bit different. When I see a whole bunch of money going down south, it's a bit of a challenge. I know in BC they actually have a policy in place that, you know, gives incentives to businesses in their province to just keep the contracts there, and it's making it more of a challenge. Can the Minister advise the House here why doesn't the department have similar policies in place so it makes it harder for southern companies to come and take contracts from us...

Question 799-18(3): Highway Infrastructure Projects and Application of Business Incentive Policy
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 82)

I have been advised that previously, with the Business Incentive Policy, it was for the whole contract, and now I have been advised that it's only based on a few million dollars, and I am a little bit confused. Can the Minister advise this House what the cap is when it comes to northern contractors bidding on projects using BIP?

Member's Statement on Highway Infrastructure Projects
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 82)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in the House to talk about a couple of infrastructure projects on Highway No. 1 and locations on Highways No. 3, 5, 6, and the Hay River Reserve access road this year. Unfortunately, the tenders were awarded to two southern companies. It was my understanding the bid difference was less than a million dollars, so we are seeing approximately $17.5 million leaving the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure how many northern and local contractors are being used on this work, but I know I have witnessed a lot of BC and Alberta plates on equipment as I have...

Question 799-18(3): Highway Infrastructure Projects and Application of Business Incentive Policy
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 82)

So this policy has changed, from my understanding, and maybe the Minister can correct me if I am wrong, but what was the rationale for the department using this new process to up to a maximum of a half a million dollars?

Question 799-18(3): Highway Infrastructure Projects and Application of Business Incentive Policy
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 82)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier this afternoon I did a Member's statement on some challenges that we see with infrastructure in contracts, so I have questions for the Minister of Infrastructure about big projects and the process the department uses. Can the Minister explain why the Business Incentive Policy was developed by the Government of the Northwest Territories in the first place? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Motion to have Committee Report 24-18(3) moved to Committee of the Whole for Further Consideration, Carried
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 81)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, that Committee Report 24-18(3): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on the Review of Bill 48: Post-Secondary Education Act be received by the Assembly and that Committee Report 24-18(3) be moved into Committee of the Whole for further consideration. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.