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 57)

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I think the Minister was thinking, or the deputy minister was thinking or both of them were thinking, that that was my next question, so I thank them that they are going to make that commitment next week and look forward to that presentation as we move forward. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 57)

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to introduce all of you to an amazing young lady, Jessie Loutit. I had the pleasure of watching her succeed in sports such as hockey and soccer throughout her years in Fort Simpson.

After graduating from high school in Fort Simpson, she went on to university and decided after two years that she wanted to start rowing with the University of Calgary team. Instantly, she fell in love with the sport and two years later she decided to move to Auckland, New Zealand, to row during the winter months. The time on the water was extremely beneficial...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 57)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I thank the deputy minister for that answer. It is actually good to hear. I have been talking to a lot of people, and they are talking about making their homes more energy efficient and trying to get wood stoves in place. It also helps with when we have power shortages or fuel running out, so that is great to hear.

In regard to the energy plan, is the department willing to look at coming back for a supplemental after they have investigated alternative energy, renewable energy sources out there? Is there the potential that, after they have come up with this plan, they could...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 57)

No, I thank the Minister for his answer. We are going to probably disagree on it. I appreciate that they are going to look at it. Too bad it is not going to be in this budget. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 57)

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the Minister for his answer. Could you tell me where on this page the BCP is on? Because I mean I am not sure that we are talking about the same program. If it is on this page I apologize. I do not know where it is, so can the Minister please verify that it is on this page or in this section? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 57)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess my concern is that we are looking at mega projects versus small community-based projects, and so besides this $1 million for small communities as compared to all these other major projects, has the department looked at putting a better percentage to small projects that will benefit the whole territories instead of the major projects? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 56)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would like to ask some questions about the inclusive schooling to begin with. Can the Minister please explain why we see a reduction of $1 million and change being reduced from inclusive schooling? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 56)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I thank the Minister for his answer. You almost confused me there. I lost my thought. That is easy today.

With this split in the two areas, small community employment and community service contracts of $920,000, can it be simplified and put into small communities so we would know exactly what the fund is instead of looking from one area to another area? I think it might be another question you might have to talk to the Finance Minister about moving it over. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 56)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I hate to belabour the point, but talking about plans and actually doing are two different things, so I am a little concerned that, if we are planning to do something, we are not actually going to do it. I am hoping that I am hearing the Minister correctly and that we are going to proceed that way. Another question I do have, on to another thing, is that health, wellness, and school support is going up just over $1 million. Is this part of the inclusive schooling, is this part of the PTS teachers, or is there something else with this area? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 56)

I thank the Minister for his answer. When we look at the college from 1968 to 2008, we had 269 TEP graduates; 78 per cent of them were of Indigenous heritage. The Minister actually talked about 33 students going down South to attend school down in the southern part of Canada. Can the Minister provide a percentage of what Aboriginal students are attending school down South?