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

Question 842-18(2): Student Financial Assistance Travel Provisions
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 78)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that answer. What I will be doing with these answers is I will actually be putting them in my newsletter and sharing them with the communities out there so that people are better informed. I am not saying that they are not informed from the staff out there, because they are doing a good job, but just sometimes communications get lost in the woodwork.

In looking at students' travel, is the department staff given some flexibility to work with students to help them get down to their chosen school as long as it's within the budget log? In other words...

Question 842-18(2): Student Financial Assistance Travel Provisions
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 78)

I thank the Minister for his answer. I do have to agree that SFA is one of the best ones in the world. I was lucky enough to be part of it, as I went to school down south. However, there are some concerns, and there are still some challenges for parents and students to understand this. My next question is: can the Minister explain how the travel is calculated for students outside the regional centres, i.e., some of my small communities?

Member's Statement on Eulogy for Tommy Kotchea
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 78)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to speak about a constituent and respected elder who recently passed away this summer, Tommy Kotchea. Tommy was born on July 11, 1937, and was raised in Fort Nelson, B.C., where he met his wife Helen and moved to Sambaa K'e.

Tommy began to work for the RCMP as a special constable at the age of 19. At the time, Tommy was one of the few individuals who was fluent both in Dene Zhatie and the English language. As a result of this, Tommy travelled with the RCMP to do the translations. For 10 years he was the only translator to travel with the...

Bill 30: Health Statutes Amendment Act (Cremation Services)
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 78)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the Standing Committee on Social Development concluded its review of Bill 30: Health Statutes Law Amendment Act (Cremation Services) on August 22nd, 2017, with a public hearing held here at the Legislative Assembly's building. During its review of this private Member's bill, the committee received one public submission, a letter of support from Ms. Janice McKenna, owner and director of McKenna Funeral Services in Yellowknife. Committee is pleased to support this bill. Individual Members may have additional comments or questions as we proceed with the...

Question 831-18(2): Nahanni Butte Court Injunction
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 77)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for his answer. Mr. Speaker, in speaking with the communities, they were talking about the permitting process and challenges they were having. Can the Minister commit to having his department work with the community to get the necessary paperwork done so they have a permanent place so they can do work in the near future?

Question 831-18(2): Nahanni Butte Court Injunction
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 77)

I thank the Minister for his answer. Can the Minister confirm if he spoke to the chief directly any time before or during or after this situation to discuss it and come up with a possible solution before it has to go to court?

Member’s Statement on Eulogy for Marilyn J. Lee
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 77)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I rise to speak about a member from Fort Simpson who recently passed away, Mrs. Marilyn J. Lee. Marilyn was born and raised in Trail, B.C., before coming north and calling it home. In her early years, Marilyn quickly picked up the art of cooking from her mother. Her passion for cooking and adventurous spirit brought her north.

Marilyn moved to the community of Fort Simpson in 1986, after spending the previous five years as a camp cook at the military base in Inuvik. In Fort Simpson, Marilyn served as a cook with the kitchen staff at the Fort Simpson long-term...

Question 831-18(2): Nahanni Butte Court Injunction
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 77)

I thank the Minister for his answer. I was actually quite disappointed that the Minister didn't actually talk to the chief before this got out of hand, but we're happy to hear that it's moving forward. With this situation taking place, has the department learned anything from this situation so we don't have to take a local government to court in the future?

Question 831-18(2): Nahanni Butte Court Injunction
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 77)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This past winter a situation occurred when one of the communities that I represent, and we all heard it in the news, the Nahanni Butte Dene Band were doing some work on an old logging road. Unfortunately, the situation led to them being taken to court. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister of Lands explain what arrangements were made to have this injunction lifted? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Bill 30: Health Statutes Law Amendment Act (Cremation Services)
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 76)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Social Development has reviewed Bill 24, An Act to Amend the Coroners Act; Bill 25, An Act to Amend the Residential Tenancies Act; Bill 28, Interpretation Act; Bill 29, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2017; and Bill 30, Health Statutes Law Amendment Act (Cremation Services).

Mr. Speaker, the committee wishes to report that Bill 25, 29, and 30 are ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole, and that Bill 24 and 28 are ready for consideration in the Committee of the Whole as...