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 32)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this Assembly recommend that the Government of the Northwest Territories form an interagency working group to address cannabisrelated enforcement planning. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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 curricula to deliver evidence-based health and safety education respecting both cannabis and alcohol, through the territorial education system. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for his answer. I understand we reduced Commissioner's land from 10 per cent to 5 per cent. Great, but the seniors still get a 50 per cent reduction in that, so I am hoping the department will actually look at that and start implementing it, as they are doing it right now for Commissioner's lands, for NWT lands. My next question, though, is in regard to the engagement. How did the department engage these people, the 170 lessees in the Nahendeh riding? How were they consulted about this change of fees?

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

I thank the Minister for that answer. I guess his definition of "reasonable" is not what my definition of "reasonable" is, so maybe we will have to get his dictionary and I will compare it with my dictionary. Can the Minister please explain how this huge increase is helping residents in my riding deal with the high cost of living when some find it very difficult to pay the lease payments as they are presently?

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize the Grand Chief of the Dehcho First Nations, Herb Norwegian, who received the Glen Davis Conservation Leadership Prize on May 24, 2018. The World Wildlife Fund of Canada and the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society awarded Mr. Norwegian for his decades of work on the Dehcho Land Use Plan. Mr. Norwegian takes pride in his work and is humbled by receiving this award. I would like to personally congratulate and thank the Grand Chief for all the work he does, and for the work he will continue to do in the future for our region. Thank you, Mr...

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...