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

Board of Management
Nahendeh
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Email
Phone
867-767-9141
Extension
11128
Constituency Office

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

Phone
867-695-3780

Statements in Debates

Member's Statement on Addictions Treatment Facilities Tour
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 6)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On December 3rd to 8th, the Standing Committee on Social Development and the Minister of Health and Social Services had the opportunity to visit the four treatment centres that the Government of the Northwest Territories has contracts with, that provide treatment programs for the residents of the NWT. As well, we had the opportunity to visit Guthrie House, part of the BC Corrections, that provide residents and inmates with the unique program that helps them deal with trauma and addictions. Mr. Speaker, the trip was about clearer links between addictions and mental...

Question 59-18(3): Treatment Facilities Contracted by the GNWT
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 6)

I thank the Minister for that answer. That does help, and, yes, I understand we have the option of using local, and I think that is great, but this facility option is something for the other people moving forward. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister explain: does the department allow residents the opportunity to attend other treatment centres, and is the government going to pay for those facilities?

Question 59-18(3): Treatment Facilities Contracted by the GNWT
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 6)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I talked in my Member's statement about the four treatment centres that the Government of Northwest Territories contract with. I am going to have some questions for the Minister for Health and Social Services.

My first question: can the Minister please explain how these four treatment centres were selected for the residents of the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 6)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize two young ladies in the hall today: Kristine Sibbeston, and I won't tell stories about her except I've known her since she's been a young lady, and who is also part of the Dechinta University, as well, Cathy Kotchea, from Fort Liard. So, I welcome her to the Legislative Assembly. Thank you. All the friends that I know here, I would also like to recognize you. Thank you.

Question 55-18(3): Moose Hunting
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as you heard in my Member's statement today, I had the pleasure of having the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources and of Finance and the deputy minister, Dr. Dragon, Superintendent Lafferty, and Officer Sabourin do a Nahendeh riding tour. It was really good, and the people really enjoyed it, so my questions to the Minister of ENR are about this trip. During the trip, we heard concerns regarding the rules and regulations as it pertains to hunting on the road corridor. There seemed to be some confusion about what was allowed and not allowed. Mr...

Question 55-18(3): Moose Hunting
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I would like to thank the department's regional staff. They do a great job of communicating and working with the communities. Like most trips, Mr. Speaker, you have things that happen to you personally, and you get to learn from these experiences. This trip was no different. I would like to share learning opportunities, but I would like to ask the Minister: what did he learn from this travelling in the Deh Cho during it and gassing up his own vehicle? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 55-18(3): Moose Hunting
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 5)

I thank the Minister for that great answer. However, he drove on the road in the wintertime, and as he talked to the former MLA, he said, "Come drive it in the summertime," so we will get the Minister of Infrastructure to come with you and we will see how it is. However, it is good, and I have to say the workers are doing a great job maintaining it. Previously in the House I spoke about the possibility of the department working with Aboriginal leadership to come up with a plan to stop the hunting of cow moose for at least the next five years to help improve the moose population. Mr. Speaker, I...

Member's Statement on New Year Update
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to welcome everybody back for the third session as we work for the residents of the Northwest Territories and look forward to the next six weeks. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recap and highlight some of the things that I have done since our last sitting.

This past November, the various standing committees had the opportunity to review and discuss the business plans of all of the departments as we prepared for the 2018-2019 budget. I would like to thank the Ministers and their staff and look forward to the debate and discussion for the budget this year.

Mr...

Question 55-18(3): Moose Hunting
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 5)

I thank the Minister for that answer. It is actually refreshing to hear that, and I would like to thank the Minister and the department for making that commitment. Another issue we heard about was the growing wolf population. It seems that one of the factors in seeing the reduction of the moose population is because of the wolves. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister confirm if the department has done any studies on the wolves within the last five years and if they are concerned with the population growth of the wolves?

Question 37-18(3): Summer Student Employment in Small Communities
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 4)

I thank the Minister for his answer. I look forward to seeing those numbers. I greatly appreciate the commitment from the Minister to hear that. Will the Minister, and I have asked this before, will the Minister look at working with his colleagues to develop a budget line in the business plan for summer students so that we can actually promote it? I know we were looking at 400 as a number in the past, and we got close to it. Will the Minister commit to working to doing that?