Shane Thompson

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

Nahendeh
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Extension
11128
Constituency Office

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

Phone

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 41)

I hope that the Minister and the department actually really looks at it because, from what I understand, it sounds like a good idea.

The last question I do have is just in regards to when he talked about cost of freight going up the Dempster to Tuktoyaktuk. Now we have that road there. Have you guys or will you guys look at the cost of doing this? I understand that the railhead is here. This is the cost going up the railhead, but here is the cost going up on the Dempster to Tuktoyaktuk highway. Because I mean, to me, we spent a lot of money on building that road, and here is an opportunity to...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 41)

I greatly appreciate that answer from the Minister. Yes, they are doing some really good work, trying to get the ferry operational and extending as possible.

In my previous conversations with the Minister, I spoke about the idea of moving the ferry landing to the Enbridge road and having the other landing relocated to the town dock. Has the Minister and the department looked at this option and have they done a cost analysis?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 41)

Thank you. I thank Mr. McCormick for explaining that. Will the Minister provide this information at the meeting and explain exactly how that works so we can understand that? I mean, for me, I understand a little bit better, but I would like to be able to get that information out to my communities, even though they are not on the large shipment process. With this petroleum product eating the cost, the freight, it has an impact or could have an impact. I am hearing from Mr. McCormick that it doesn’t, but can we get that clarified and presented at the committee meeting? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 41)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a couple of constituents here: Lyla Pierre from Sambaa Ke, Nathan McPherson from Fort Simpson. Also in the crowd is the Mackenzie Recreation Association, a number of members of them, who just celebrated their 25th anniversary, and I am very proud to recognize them here, in the House. I had an opportunity to work with a number of them previously: Janie Hobart, Erin Porter, Jessica VanOverbeek -- I said her name wrong; sorry, Jessica -- and Dale Loutit. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 41)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think the people of the communities are happy with that. What is that cost going to be if we are providing it for free? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 41)

Okay. If I understand this correctly, if we didn’t have these situations happening, we would have had an extra $3 million from the operations of MTS this year? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 41)

Thank you. Mr. McCormick, I am getting a little confused here. What is the $875 when it is in the revolving fund? Thank you.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 41)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am just trying to get a clear picture of this, here. When we talk about $22 million in cash reserve, can you please explain what that reserve is? Is it cash? Or is this equipment? Or is this product? Or is it a combination of everything? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 41)

I thank the Minister for the non-answer. I mean, I find it really interesting that this is a government decision. They are going to decide who has the rights and who are the squatters on this land. That is their job. They should be getting the information to each community so that the communities can get that out there.

If it is not going to be able to do that, will the Minister provide us with the information that they are providing to these Indigenous government organizations and give it to us so that we can now go to the small communities and do the government's job?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 41)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last week I was asking questions of the Minister of Lands about cabins and squatters and Aboriginal rights and that, and I have to thank the Minister for following up and providing me further information.

However, I would like to ask him the question: with DFN being identified as the organization that their staff is working with, is it now DFN's responsibility to get this information out to the cabin owners? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.