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 16)

No, I'll ask that question in 231. Thank you.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 16)

My final question in regards to this topic here today is: what limits has ENR established overall to the annual sustainable harvest of forests for the south and west of the Great Slave Lake?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 16)

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you for the clarification. Maybe I'll just go on to page 216 in this area here and look at the Growing Forward 2 section. It's $488,000 in this area. Where is the additional cost coming from in this area? Because right now my numbers don't match up, so maybe the Minister could just clarify that for me and it would help me. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 16)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a few follow-up questions to the Minister of ENR on my Member's statement here. Can the Minister tell us: a lot of communities are looking at fire smarting their projects? Has the department encouraged the communities to look at working with the company to use this excess material for building and making pellets? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 16)

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the Minister for that. For economic diversification, he talked about how there was about $225,000 coming from business support, trade, and economic analysis and other program costs. Could he spend a little further on where the other difference of $325,000 is coming from? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 16)

I appreciate the department's thinking forward and actually providing that information. I understand that, as time goes on, these trees decay. My third question is: how did overall greenhouse gas emissions figure into the permitting process for the Aurora Wood Pellets project, including the timber cutting permits? If this impact was determined, please tell us what it is.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 16)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In regard to business support, trade and economic analysis, and other program costs, we see a reduction of about $503,000 in this area. Could the Minister please expand on why we see this cut in this area? Thank you.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 16)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to follow up on my Member’s statement today. My questions are for the Minister of ENR. My first question: does Aurora Wood Pellets plan to use tree cuttings in the tops in addition to the timber itself to make these wood pellets, or will these cuttings and tops be burned at the sites where they are being cut? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 16)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess, just a followup: is this a federally funded program, or is this something from the GNWT that was funded for this? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 16)

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the Minister for that. I just need clarification: is this position going to be for the territory, or is this going to be specifically for Yellowknife? Thank you, Mr. Chair.