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

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 81)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I guess my first question is we have heard some concerns, and maybe the Minister can alleviate some of the concerns out there with the new Yellowknife hospital being built, with the insulation. Has that been a concern that people should be aware of, with this insulation being exposed to all this weather out there? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Question 877-18(2): Condition of Highway 1 and Highway 7
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 81)

I thank the Minister for looking into that. As I was driving down the roads, I also noticed that there are certain sections where the grass was creeping up onto the roads and causing a little bit of poor sight where wildlife can cut in front of you, but then other sections were clear. Can the Minister advise the House what the policy is as it pertains to clearing the ditches and, if they have a schedule for the various roads and, if he could share it with us?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 81)

I thank the Minister for that. I greatly appreciate that. The Blackstone Territorial Park, when we were talking about employment for Nahanni Butte, is there some component in there for the brushing and clearing of that site that could be done by this community? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Question 877-18(2): Condition of Highway 1 and Highway 7
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 81)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this past summer I had to opportunity to travel on about 92 per cent of the allweather roads in the southern part of the NWT. This works out to be about 1,155 kilometers. Some of the roads were in great shape, better than others. As I traveled, I noticed a number of concerns I would like to address with the Minister for Infrastructure today.

Mr. Speaker, on Highway No. 1, from approximately kilometre 205 to 220, I noticed that the staff from Fort Providence were doing their regular maintenance this section of the chipseal. It is the last section of chipseal...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 81)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I understand you're going to re-evaluate and you're going to look at your 20-year plan, but the community would like to see a VIC centre in there, and a lot of the tourists who are coming through there are looking for that when they show up. I have to applaud the department for putting a pavilion there and it's greatly appreciated, but a VIC centre would have a huge impact on the community and also the region in the southern territories, if people would be going up there and have that opportunity. Will the Minister work with the community to see the feasibility of putting...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 81)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Similar to that area, Fort Liard Highway, NWT/BC border pullout pavilion there, I notice that it's not going to have a VI centre, it's just going to be a pavilion put up there. Is there a reason why the department hasn't looked at putting a VI centre at that location, considering that they have one at the NWT/Alberta border and then they have one in Dawson City as well? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 81)

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you, Minister. Again, we are not asking for the tower to be built. It is more putting a cellular antenna on there, and the community is looking to do that. The next question is the CL215 water bombers. Have we sold those? Because I notice there are still a number of these airplanes still at the end of the runway by Buffalo. Have these planes been sold because they are not going to be used anymore by the government? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 81)

That is good to hear, and I thank the Minister for that answer. Can I get an update when it is done so that I can maybe get a tour of this facility? It has been long overdue. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 81)

I thank the Minister for that. I am assuming he is talking about Fort Liard when we talked about it, and not Fort Resolution. I guess my struggle, though, is so basically, until we build a new facility, the community is not going to see a morgue. Is this correct, Mr. Chair?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 81)

Thank you, and I thank the Minister for that answer. I think she was pulling on my heartstrings there, saying a library and a pool. It was like old days, with the recreation side of me coming out.

In regard to keeping these funds and putting them into reserves, I have heard in other years that some people have spent the money on other facilities, like a hotel or a store. Are these kinds of projects for this type of money, or should they be looking at other avenues to fund these types of capital projects? Thank you, Mr. Chair.