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 , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 45)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I appreciate the answer from the Minister. That's good to hear. At least it's a break-even and giving our firefighters some very-much-needed training. The Minister talked about some different crews and them going out and doing work during the fire season because it was not that bad. Can the Minister advise this House, here, what the crew for Fort Liard did during that time?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 45)

Thank you, and I appreciate the Minister's commitment to capital work. Caps are talking $50,000, and I think it is going to be a little bit more work than just $50,000 for the two of the hills. We are also talking about trying to make these hills a little bit more safer.

I will, again, work with the community to talk about the cap project, but will the Minister commit to looking at that, and if that is not feasible, if he can get his regional staff to work with the community to help them fill out the application? Specifically, the demands on the band manager are huge. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 45)

So can the Minister advise us how much of that funding came back? Because we paid our workers and for our equipment, so how much money is that coming back to the NWT, what percentage money-wise? What percentage is coming back?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 45)

Thank you. I think that is from the border in? It's not from the Simpson junction moving forward. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 45)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I appreciate the Minister's commitment in moving forward, because that is very important. Those two committees are very important. The advisory committee has a regional and territorial voice, and then the academic advisory council, that there is new, something that's new, and I think it would be very beneficial as we move forward through our post-secondary. So in the meantime, what is going to happen? Who is going to replace the advisories? Is it still going to be the public administrator? Is that person still going to be in place, being the voice of the NWT at this...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 45)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Can the Minister provide that information to us so that I know exactly where? I do have a map, and it has those numbers, but I am not too sure where those numbers are. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 45)

I appreciate the answer from the Minister. How long is this going to take, then? If we are talking about a vision, and I strongly believe we should be starting that here in the House, talking to committee and other Members to see where it is, but when will we be able to have this person in place to start this process?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 45)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. When I first got elected, we talked about consensus and what it means. I have had the pleasure of living all my life in the Northwest Territories and watching consensus government work. I have been in meetings where a decision was made, and an elder come up or somebody else come up and asked for clarification and brought their viewpoint to a place. That is what is, to me, true consensus government as you work forward and move forward to this.

I had the opportunity to go back home and talk to my constituents about this very issue. Their first question was: "What do you want...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 45)

Thank you, and I thank the Minister for that. I mean, it's been long overdue, and some of the bridges need a little more work so it ensures that traffic, especially heavy traffic, can get across those bridges. I greatly appreciate that.

Can the Minister advise if Axe Handle Creek, Bouvier Creek, and Red Knife Creek, if those sections are going to be enforced? As I drive over them numerous times, I see certain sections of the road, the rails are kind of falling in. Is that being looked at? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 45)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, I thank the Premier for his answer. Mr. Speaker, can the Premier tell us what recommendation EIA has made about effective communications with people who have traditional cabins, and how is EIA making sure these guidelines are followed? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.