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

Shane Thompson
Nahendeh
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Constituency Office

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

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 50)

Please sit. I'd like to thank Mary Jane Cazon for the prayer song today to start off our session.

Colleagues, good afternoon. In yesterday's ruling, I urged caution in your language here and social media. As I said previously, it is frustrating that posts continue to be brought to my attention. Again last night, a post was brought to my attention. I feel the post did not accurately reflect my decision. The post suggested I found no wrong was committed. My job is to interpret and apply the rules we have agreed to. It does not mean someone, or their actions, are right or wrong. And to be clear...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 49)

Colleagues, this past September I had to travel to Fort Smith for personal reasons when I ran into the trades awareness coordinator, and he informed me that their fall introductory program was taking place at Aurora College. As we discussed the program, he reminded me the purpose of the program was to provide grade 9 to 12 students with an awareness to trades occupations through a one-week hands-on experience at the College in trades such as carpentry, cooking, gairdressing, plumbing, electrical, mechanics, mining, welding, communications, and aviation.

A couple highlights of the conversation...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 49)

Please be seated. Thank you, Karen Mitchell for the opening prayer today.

Before we get into today's business, colleagues, I will now bring my ruling on the point of privilege raised last week. The Member from Yellowknife South rose on a point of privilege regarding a social media post made by the Member for Range Lake. I will not rehash the social media post in question or the debate in this chamber on the point of privilege. However, for those who participated in the debate, thank you. You have given me many things to consider.

When a point of privilege is raised, I must consider two things...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 48)

Colleagues, I'd like to recognize two pages from the Nahendeh riding, Jackson Martineau and a special one, Serena Gargan who is the granddaughter - granddaughter - of our translator Mary Jane Cazon. So I think this is a first. We've had a father and son in the Assembly. Now we have a granddaughter and a grandmother helping provide services to our MLAs. So thank you very much for your commitment to us here today. Thank you. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Oh, Member for Yellowknife North.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 48)

I would like to thank Ms. Cleary for the opening and blessing today.

Colleagues, before we get into our daily business, we have a bunch of Grade 5 and 6 students from Weledeh Catholic School. We'll behave ourselves really well, so these young people will say they want to be here in this House in 10, 15 years. So thank you very much for coming and attending.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 48)

Colleagues, on Tuesday, November 5TH to Thursday, November 7th, NWT Tourism held their annual 2024 AGM, conference, industry awards recipients and fundraising auction in Yellowknife. They had over 160 attend the AGM, conference, awards ceremony, and auction. I am proud to say one of the awards winners is from Fort Simpson.

The company is -- and I apologize, if I say this wrong. Mary Jane, you can get mad at me later -- K'iyeli Tourism Services. The owners are Gilbert and Mary Jane Cazon. Some of you recognize that name - Mary Jane Cazon's, and you would be correct. She is one of our translators...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 47)

Please sit. I'd like to thank Ms. Gargan for the reflections today.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 47)

Colleagues, today I found out I'm now a senior. Today, I'd like to recognize Mr. Roger Pilling on being selected as the 2024 elder volunteer. He moved to Fort Simpson in February 1988 from Fort Reliance where he was a weather observer for 18 months. Roger quickly became part of the community joining the curling club right away, then the slo-pitch league in the summer, then the Fort Simpson fire department in February 1989.

I had the opportunity to meet Roger in Fort Simpson at a ball tournament in the summer of 1991 and in Hay River in 1992 while my team from Coppermine was participating in the...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 46)

Please be seated. Thank you, Mr. Lafferty, for the opening prayer and reflections.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 45)

Colleagues, this past summer, the Deh Cho First Nations celebrated its (audio) the 15th. I had the honour of being invited to the Assembly. It was great to see them work together in how they included youth and elders with the leadership and decision-making. I can tell you the 30th Assembly for the Deh Cho Nation marks a significant milestone in its journey of Indigenous self-governance and cultural resurgence in Canada. Established in 1990, the First Nation -- Deh Cho First Nation represented a collective of ten communities in the Deh Cho region of the Northwest Territories, each with its...