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 , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 158)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize the athletes, coaches, managers, and mission staff who will represent Team NT at the 2023 North American Indigenous Games that will be held in Halifax, Nova Scotia from July 15th to the 23rd. The North American Indigenous Games’ mission is to improve the quality of life for Indigenous people by supporting a well selfdetermined approach to sports and cultural activities. The goal is to encourage equal access to participation in the social, cultural, and spiritual fibre of the community in which they reside. This event also...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 158)

That I cannot make a guarantee on. We're going to have work on it. I mean, she got a couple yeses out of me, this one here is going to be the reality is we're going to work on it. If we are able to table something, we will. But right now, it's some work that has to be done. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 158)

Gee whiz, I'm going to have to say yes to this. It's a very good suggestion by the Member; I greatly appreciate that. But it's just not going to be the Minister responsible for Youth. I'm going to have to work with my colleagues from housing, my colleague from health, and my colleague from ECE. And I have ECC on my plate. So, yeah, we are more than willing to work on this. This is something that's going to be an allofgovernment approach. So I thank the Member for making this great suggestion, and we will work on doing that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 158)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, Mr. Speaker, I thank the Member for the question. The government is committed to evidencebased decisions. There is nothing in the Project Assessment Policy that prevents the presentation of evidence or expert opinions in the comanagement process. Currently the GNWT, led by the Department of ECC, is working to define how the GNWT can be more transparent in environmental assessments, including decisionmaking of the GNWT projects. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 157)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, first and foremost, the 2026 Arctic Winter Games, because of the situation in Ukraine, Yamale wasn't going to be hosting the games. So the international committee came to the Northwest Territories to see if we could move up our request. We're supposed to be doing the 2028 games.

So, Mr. Speaker, the Member is correct that the NWT has considered hosting these games in Yellowknife, and I can confirm that the GNWT has communicated to the Arctic Winter Games International Committee that it's not proceeding with hosting the Arctic Winter Games in 2026. We're not...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 157)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier this year MACA undertook engagement with many stakeholders on a renewed sport and recreation and physical activity framework. Engagement included sessions with many partners, such as sport and recreation organizations, Indigenous governments and organizations, diverse and inclusive organizations, community representatives including coaches and athletes in territorial sport organizations. But also we worked with the Aboriginal Sports Circle as part of their work with the national framework that they're working on. As part of this engagement, we also...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 157)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I said previously I've acknowledged that the search at Timber Bay was very difficult for some of the people at the camp who were not harvesting wildlife or harvesting wildlife in a respectful and lawful way. This was not the intent of the officers. As the investigation of this case is ongoing, I will not be able to speak further on this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 157)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When the report's done, we will make sure we'll get the report done when we get it done.

I have written to the leadership on several occasions regarding Timber Bay and offered to meet to discuss reconciliation efforts once the investigation is completed. ECC remains committed to our partnership with leadership. As previously stated, I will be happy to look at the community's event that would help foster reconciliation when the investigation is completed. This is related to an ongoing legal action. I'm unable to comment further on the search or the investigation to...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 157)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

During both the 18th and 19th Assemblies, some committee Reports have included dissenting opinions. The Rules don’t address dissenting opinions and how they can or should be incorporated into committee Reports. Committee recommends:

The Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures recommends that the following be added after Rule 9.4(1):

(1.1) One or more Members of the committee may indicate that they dissent from a particular recommendation or comment.

(1.2) A Member or Members who wish to express the reasons for their dissent may do so in an appendix to the report.

(1.3...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 157)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to rise in the House to talk about the Youth Parliament that was held April 17th to 20th here in Yellowknife. I appreciate the Legislative Assembly staff and the Speaker for putting on this amazing event.

As you are aware, the Youth Parliament provides our youth a unique opportunity to travel to Yellowknife to take on the role of an elected Member and participate in the daily workings of consensus government at the Legislative Assembly. What is impressive about this opportunity is for students in grades 9 and 10 from across the Northwest Territories.

T...