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, 2nd Session (day 85)

I thank the Minister for his answer. I will follow up with him with the specific concerns residents have talked to me about. Like most places, food is usually an issue for some. The concern isn’t about the quality; it is about the traditional food. How does the department ensure the boarding room has access to traditional food that can be provided to the patient? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 85)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Mr. Speaker, I have heard a lot of positive things about the boarding home here in Yellowknife, however like most things, there are a few concerns that residents have raised, and I would like to raise them here today. Mr. Speaker, there are patients that have to stay in the boarding home long-term. Even some have resided permanently. Has the department looked at placing them in their own home without having short-term patients staying in their place? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 85)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for the answer. It kind of leads in to my next question. With people with chemo treatments and that, can the Minister start working with these patients to put them in hotels until a policy is in place so their immune systems don’t allow them to catch other diseases such as colds and stuff like that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 85)

I thank the Minister for that answer and I look forward to having a conversation with him. Can the Minister please tell us if there are support groups available for patients with cancer and if these patients are told about this type of program?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 85)

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for that answer. It does clear up a little bit of concerns out there so I am able to share that with my constituents. Mr. Speaker, due to appointments and flight schedules, patients sometimes miss meals. How does the department ensure that the patients are fed? Do they get a food allowance to cover this additional cost that is put onto them, because the flights are not? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 85)

I thank the Minister for his answer. I am a little disappointed that I have some constituents who are permanently there now and have to share the room. I was hoping that they were getting a little bit of privacy. Mr. Speaker, boarding homes have chauffeurs and drivers who deliver really great service. They are very friendly and very helpful, but the concern for some patients is they have to wait long periods of time to be picked up or get dropped off early for flights. What does the contract say about providing transportation for these patients, and does the department allow patients to use...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 85)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, during my latest regional tour, I had the opportunity to speak to a number of students and teachers. I gave them the opportunity to do a Member's statement to present their ideas and concerns. Today, my statement is coming from the Bompas grade four class. Mr. Speaker, the class spoke about the positive things about the village: the quality of the water, and how it is the best in the world. People are really friendly, and they feel safe, and can walk around town without getting lost. They find the land to be very beautiful and clean. They really like the...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 84)

I thank the Minister for that information. I will be sharing this information with my residents that have concerns, and I thank him for that. I guess my last question here is: can the Minister explain what the process is for outoftown hunters or outofterritory hunters to come in and check in so that we are aware that they are out there?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 84)

I thank the Minister for that answer. I guess the big concern is that when we see the hunters, it is usually on Friday to Sunday and Monday. We are hoping, with the Minister's permission, that they can start working with the department and the communities about this. The other issue is with these nonresidents that come in is that they are leaving garbage, and they are using people's cabins. Is this something that the department does monitor, or is it just that people are able to leave garbage and use whatever facilities are available to them?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 84)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I agree with you. I hope it never has to happen again. Unfortunately, in my 23 years, I have seen a number of evacuations. I am hoping that you are going to be working with the Hamlet of Fort Liard so they can be better prepared. My last question is about the communication system. Unfortunately, the community used Facebook as their way of getting information out about how to evacuate, and the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs used emergency bulletins and web pages to get that information. However, when the community evacuates, they are on the other side of...