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 Impacts of Climate Change on Transportation Systems in the Sahtu
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 61)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I have been travelling across the NWT, the topic of caribou comes up with a lot of people. The more people I talked to, the more I became interested in what was happening in the Deh Cho in this area. After doing research, I found out the Department of Environment and Natural Resources is doing studies with boreal caribou in the Deh Cho.

Mr. Speaker, it was initiated in 2004 with the deployment of 10 satellite collars on adult female caribou at the request of, and after consultation with, Sambaa K'e Dene Band.

I am happy to say that there are extensive consultations in...

Committee Motion 71-18(2): Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Deferral of Environment Activity, Carried
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 61)

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank Dr. Kelly for her answer. So does the department or Municipal and Community Affairs help communities provide funding for them to fire smart the communities? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Committee Motion 70-18(2): Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Deferral of Corporate Management Activity, Carried
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 61)

I have nothing further. I have kind of spoken my piece and the Minister unfortunately has a difference of opinion than I do. Very empowering or not, they get to make the final decision. Like I said, I respect his opinion and I understand where he’s coming from, but he also has to understand where I’m coming from. I cannot accept this. Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Committee Motion 70-18(2): Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Deferral of Corporate Management Activity, Carried
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 61)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I thank Dr. Kelly for her answer. Again, if I look at the numbers, if you go to page 81, there seems to be more positions in the water resource management area than there is into this environmental area. Some regions have three positions, and they already have one in there. Was this part of the functional review that the department did when they decided to remove this position? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Committee Motion 70-18(2): Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Deferral of Corporate Management Activity, Carried
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 61)

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the Minister for that. Could the Minister advise where we find this other position? Is it in another department or division within this department? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Committee Motion 70-18(2): Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Deferral of Corporate Management Activity, Carried
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 61)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In my opening comments I talked about the elimination of the environmental protection officer in the Deh Cho. On page 73 they have four environmental positions in the regions. Can the Minister please advise: are these positions all the same? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 61)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just want to elaborate a little further from my colleague from Yellowknife North and my colleague from Mackenzie Delta. My first concern I would have to say is the reduction of the environmental protection officer in the Deh Cho. This has an impact with our mandate in the development of our work within our smaller communities. This position, from what I understand in talking from the community's standpoint, is important for them to continue to grow, and this is one of the areas that I will have to steadfast ask questions about why it's being reduced.

The second comment...

Question 659-18(2): Inclusive Schooling Funding
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 61)

I thank the Minister for that answer. That is pretty exciting news, to see that that money is there. Can the Minister tell us how many schools already have at least one PST teacher in place? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Committee Motion 71-18(2): Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Deferral of Environment Activity, Carried
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 61)

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the Minister for his answer. I guess I'm just looking at springtime when the fire crews are ready to go and there are no fires, it is a perfect opportunity to utilize that staff in the communities and surrounding areas to maybe potentially fire smart their communities to start with. So that's where I'm looking is existing staff that are not fighting fires presently, and I believe each community does have a fire suppressant crew that could potentially be put to work in the short term to start helping them.

I appreciate the department working with the communities...

Question 659-18(2): Inclusive Schooling Funding
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 61)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I will be asking questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Mr. Speaker, as we have seen in the main estimates, ECE has planned to cut $1.8 million from inclusive schooling. ECE has since confirmed to leaving $1.3 million alone and dedicated the rest to a specialized training group for PST teachers. Since this isn't reflected in the mains, where is the department going to find this money, whether it is internally, through a supplemental or presented to this House or both? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.