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 32)

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I appreciate everybody speaking on this behalf. I guess this recommendation is being proactive instead of reactive, so we are trying to be proactive and are trying to move forward. We've heard that there is the potential of it to fail and there is potential to be successful, but it is no different than any other business. If you do a good plan, you are going to be successful, you know, and right now that's what we are trying to do, is we are trying to develop programs that will help the people be successful that put a good plan together. That, to me, is what we are...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 32)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this Assembly recommend that the Government of the Northwest Territories develop economic development programming to support northern entrepreneurship related to cannabis sales and production. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 32)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Throughout our travels, we heard the issue about enforcement being an issue, whether it was members of the public, community councils, or even enforcement officers. So they were asking these questions and, by having this committee, we can ensure that the new laws are clearly communicated and that we would be able to encourage discussion and informationsharing and provide additional supports to communities with limited resources, i.e. the smaller communities that I'm representing in my riding. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 32)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. During our consultation, and especially going into the schools, when we were talking about the education system and getting this material information out there, as some of our colleagues here said, you know, the students were well-informed, but it was based on the Internet and that. Then, when we asked the question in trying to get a good clear direction of it, they basically said that this was not part of the education system. Alcohol and drugs were not part of the education system, and they all said that they should be. It was really interesting listening to the...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 32)

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, as my honourable colleague from Kam Lake identified, I was the chair who got the opportunity to travel with Members from Deh Cho, Yellowknife North, Hay River North, and Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. We hit nine communities, three schools. Of those nine communities, six of them were part of the original discussion that the government did the consultation process through.

We also, like I said, hit three schools; Deninu, Diamond Jenness, and St. Pats. It was very interesting, and listening to the youth, I guess the biggest thing is we were talking about a difference...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 31)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That information that you just gave to us, that's the work that's going to be done this fiscal year? The carry-over from the $1.2 million? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 31)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I understand what the Minister has said, and I thank her for that. I know the reality. I was there when they built it. It was a community hall, and they expanded it to make it a "community gym." It's not a community gym. It's a large meeting room. So, the Minister, I know she is really busy because of a lot of work that she has to do over this summer. Is she willing to work with me to go into the community, have a sit-down with the community, discuss it, see for herself what the community is talking about, and see what the department is calling a gym right now? Will...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 31)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. On page 14, we are talking about Highway No. 1 reconstruction, various. What sections of the highway were not completed? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 31)

I thank the Minister for that answer. I realize she wasn't the one in there, but my big problem is that the community was promised to have some alternatives in the expansion. We will probably have to disagree with that, and we will probably have to try to get the Minister in there.

My next question, though, is in regard to this. Without having a good gym in this community, we have a safety issue. How is the department working with the community and the school to ensure that they have quality and safe education programs in the school?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 31)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have nothing further to add to this at this time, but I wish to have a recorded vote. Thank you.