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 496-18(2): Junior Kindergarten Implementation Funding
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 46)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I was asking the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment about junior kindergarten. With the Finance Minister talking about the program being fully funded, can the Minister please clarify in this House, because I have received numerous phone calls from teachers -- this is for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment -- when are we getting the full funding for junior kindergarten? Is it this fiscal year for the budget or is it going to be next year, fiscal budget, or by the end of this term? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 489-18(2): Junior Kindergarten Implementation Funding
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 46)

I thank the Minister for his answer. If I wasn't confused before, I think I'm a little bit confused now. So are we asking the school boards to provide 2 per cent, or are we not asking them to provide 2 per cent for this junior kindergarten?

Question 489-18(2): Junior Kindergarten Implementation Funding
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 46)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, my colleague from Hay River North was asking the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment about junior kindergarten, and we seem to have some differences of opinion. I've heard 3.1. Now I hear from the government it's 2.7. So is junior kindergarten truly fully funded by this government? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Member's Statement on Fundraising Efforts to Support Syrian Refugees
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 46)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I would like to speak about a group of women from Fort Simpson who decided to do a flash fundraiser to raise money for Syrian refugees during the holiday season.

The idea started when one of the ladies saw a social media post on Facebook from the Compassion Collective, a group of authors in the United States who are raising money for the Syrian refugees.

After reading the post and expressing her desire to participate in some form of a Compassion Collective fundraiser, she began receiving posts and calls from a number of her family and friends who wanted to help...

Question 496-18(2): Junior Kindergarten Implementation Funding
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 46)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that clarification. I guess my concern is that, if we are funding this completely, where is this money going to be coming from to implement junior kindergarten? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 496-18(2): Junior Kindergarten Implementation Funding
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 46)

I appreciate the Minister's answer. I guess my question, though, is: is it going to be funded by the end of this fiscal term or this fiscal year, next fiscal year, or by the end of our term? In the Finance Minister's statement there was $2.7 million by the end of this term. I am just trying to get it clarified because I have had a number of parents and teachers phone going, "Great, we are fully funding junior kindergarten." I am going, "Have to confirm."

Question 489-18(2): Junior Kindergarten Implementation Funding
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 46)

Okay, thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for the clarification. So the government is actually not funding it completely. We're working with the divisional boards to find the money, so it's not fully funded by the Government of the Northwest Territories unless it's from the funding that exists, that we get right now.

So yesterday the Minister was talking about that they have to find it from the surplus of these educational boards. Can this Minister verify that each school board has a surplus that they can actually find to help fund this 1.76 per cent funding? Thank you, Mr. Speaker...

Question 489-18(2): Junior Kindergarten Implementation Funding
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 46)

I thank the Minister for his answer. Yesterday, we talked about a 2 per cent that the divisional boards have to come up with. So if the government is fully funding this program at $5.1 million, why are they asking the divisional boards to come up with 2 per cent?

Mr. Thompson's Reply
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 46)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As my colleague from Tu NedheWiilideh said yesterday in his reply to the Budget Address, he's one of the MLAs who represents small communities. I, too, represent small communities in my riding, and they face many challenges. Unfortunately, sometimes our concerns are not heard by Cabinet. I've said it before, and still firmly believe this.

Mr. Speaker, before I speak directly about the budget, I need to address one of the budget processes. The first issue is consensus government. On Thursday, we heard from the Premier that the budget is a product of consensus system. He...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 45)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize the Mayor from Hay River as well, but I won't call him the Mayor, I'll call him a friend. It was funny because today we were talking about our exploits when we were younger playing ball and he was a center fielder, so I'd like to welcome Brad Mapes to the Legislative Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.