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 51)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I get to recognize a few people here today. Kristen Tanche, who is a student in the social work program here in Yellowknife. I actually had the opportunity to almost marry her and her husband, but they got smart and got an official somebody else to do that. So I'd like to recognize Kristin.

Then I have to recognize my two daughters: Jacqueline Thompson, who is a teacher, and my daughter Jenny, who is part of the social work program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 51)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member from Kam Lake said in his Member's statement, I would like to thank the social workers and the education students and the union workers for coming and presenting their concerns to us, as a government, about the budget.

Mr. Speaker, during my time leading up to our session here I had the opportunity to not only visit the communities but go into the schools and meet the students in each of the schools. They addressed a number of concerns to me, and I would like to address some of the stuff that students at Thomas Simpson Secondary School said to me. It was...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 51)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, when we are looking at this budget, I am looking at the stuff we are missing right now and why the rationale. We need this in there. I guess our first initiative we talked about was youth-in-crisis. Unfortunately, we have seen a lot of crisis and a lot of deaths in our ridings lately. I think we need to be spending more time on the prevention, intervention, that is needed. I am not just talking about youth, but I am talking about the whole generation. People are passing life through crisis and that. I am looking at the department to put in initiatives and put...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 51)

I thank the Minister for his answer. Mr. Speaker, some of the things and some of the challenges we are hearing about this change is the diploma. Will this have an impact over the NWT diploma once it is done? Since we are going to be implementing it, will it have an impact on our students and our youth?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 51)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we heard in the news a lot about this issue about the strengthening teachers instructional practice pilot. We have heard it in the editorial again. It is talking about the negative impact on it. We have heard from the teachers' union of the positive of that. I am trying to get this cleared up. Can the Minister inform this House: is this part of the Education Renewal Framework? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 51)

I thank the Minister for his answer. That kind of led into my other question I was going to ask anyway, but I'll, you know, modify it a little bit here. So when can I expect the Minister to come work with us and maybe bring the Minister of Lands to come along and meet with these communities and do a community regional tour? So when can we look at this? Is it going to be sooner or later?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 51)

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister for Transportation spoke about the Mackenzie Valley Highway from Wrigley to Norman Wells, and he provided, you know, the importance of this road being granted resources and traditional lands that gives opportunity for recreation and tourism. It will create jobs, general training opportunities, and heavy equipment opportunities for training. So can the Minister please -- or yourself, Mr. Speaker -- when can we expect to see funding for other access roads projects, or is it focused entirely on the Mackenzie Valley Highway, the $700 million? Thank you, Mr...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 51)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues. I could probably go on for about 20 minutes, so I will try to summarize it as quickly as possible.

They talked about jobs, that it is important, about working, whether it is them or their families, to not only get off social income but work.

Mr. Speaker, they went on to talk about housing and how some friends and family members live in houses that are not suitable, and some of the challenges that they face. They are asking about that. They talked about homelessness.

Mr. Speaker, I had individual students come talk to me afterwards, and they...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 51)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I probably have a few more questions, but I will end with this one here today: will the Minister be able to tell us, with this pilot project, will the schools be able to be compliant with the Education Act with respect to instructional hours? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 51)

I thank the Minister for his answer. In looking at this issue here, some of the things we are talking about are senior high and how we line it up with Alberta. Can the Minister inform this House: are we able to keep the 125 hours of instructional time it requires for our students to get their fivecredit courses?