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 52)

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the Minister and the deputy minister for their answers. I guess my last question in regards to this area here: how are the community wellness authorities being consulted and worked with so that they can promote the information as well? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 52)

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the Minister for his answer. Yes, I was talking about medical travel because I'm looking at, in my riding, there are a couple of airplanes that are actually suitable for flying doctors, nurses, and MLAs, twin engines and that. So the question was asked, and so I'm glad to hear that. In regard to this medical travel and when you talked about the medevacs, is that part of this medical travel in this contract, this money in here? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 52)

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the Minister for his commitment there. I look forward to that.

I guess I'm still trying to understand how the family violence shelters work. We don’t have any in our region right now. How is the department willing to work with the authority, I would assume, the wellness committee, on trying to establish one in the region? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 52)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just to go back to medical travel in regard to it being opened up, or it is going to be opening up, I guess, for competition again for it to be contracted out. Is the department looking at local businesses as well, local airlines, or are they just focused on the main ones like Canadian North, First Air, and Air Tindi? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 52)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to table a document from Grand Chief Herb Norwegian with regard to post-secondary cuts to the Education and Social Work programs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 52)

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the deputy minister for her answer. It wasn't your hearing; it was me on a different track there, so I apologize for that.

So my next question is medical travel. I notice it's an increase of $379,000. Is this a forced growth or is this what we're expecting, unexpected costs coming up that we're not aware of? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 52)

I thank the Minister for his answer. We have heard in this House the Minister talk about inclusive schooling, that we are above the national average at 17 per cent. However, in this budget, on schedule 2, page 3 of 12, we see a reduction of $1.8 million. Can the Minister please advise this House what this reduction does to the percentage as per our legislation?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 52)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. On page 182, extended health care, there's a reduction of $350,000. Could the Minister explain the rationale for the reduction in this area? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 52)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I apologize to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment because I am going to ask him some follow-up questions on inclusive schooling and junior kindergarten. Mr. Speaker, we have heard the Minister talk about this $2 million. Where did this money come from, from the very beginning, when it was developed? Was it from the government or was it from the school boards, so the school boards had to take the money that we gave them and come up with $2 million? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 52)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. On page 179, they have an increase of $162 for longterm nursing care and then a reduction of $162 for medical and surgical nursing. Could the Minister explain the rationale for the reduction and increase in these two areas? Thank you, Mr. Chair.