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
Shane Thompson
Nahendeh
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Shane_thompson@ntassembly.ca
Phone
867-767-9141 (link is a phone number)
Extension
11128
Constituency Office

9706-100th Street
Fort Simpson NT X0E 0N0
Canada

Phone
867-695-3780(link is a phone number)

Statements in Debates

Question 527-18(2): Aurora College Strategic Direction
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 49)

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on Friday we heard from the Minister that the social work program has had low admission and low graduation rates and this is why they are phasing out the program. Mr. Speaker, what doesn't make any sense is why the college is phasing out programs before their strategic plan is to be completed this June. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister please advise the House why they're cutting these programs before the strategic plan is complete? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Member's Statement on E-mail to Aurora College Students regarding Proposed Program Elimination and Fee Increases
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 49)

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday, I spoke about the social work program and the way the college was communicating with their students. A second email was sent to the students at 10:32 a.m. that day about an important message regarding the 201718 rent, tuition rates, and program changes.

Mr. Speaker, I need to share with this House what was said because to date I have not been informed by the department or the college. I've had to hear what is going on through Facebook, the students, and the news. This is very sad, to say the least. Again, like I said previously, communication is very poor.

Mr...

Question 511-18(2): Proposed Elimination of Social Work Diploma Program
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 48)

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on Friday, the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment answered our colleague from Kam Lake that he heard about the news from the college that the social work program was being cut. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister please tell this House when he heard the social work program was going to be phased out? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Member's Statement on Proposed Elimination of the Social Work Diploma Program
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 48)

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. This past Thursday in my reply to the Budget Address I spoke about the importance of communication. Well, that very day at 9:00 a.m. students who are taking the Social Work Diploma course were told that the class would start a bit later. At 9:30, the staff came in and said that the students would be receiving an e-mail from the college on what was happening. When asked the question, they were told that they could not answer anything until the e-mail was sent to them.

Mr. Speaker, at 10:23 a.m. the students taking the social work program were informed that they were the...

Question 511-18(2): Proposed Elimination of Social Work Diploma Program
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 48)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for his answer. I may disagree. Communication via email is probably not the process I would do, and I would actually encourage the staff at the college to work with the students and tell them face up and tell them what is going on.

As I said in my Member' statement today, the college has decided that this will be the last year for intake for Northerners wishing to take the social work program. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister advise this House what will happen to the students who are taking this access program presently to get ready for the social...

Question 511-18(2): Proposed Elimination of Social Work Diploma Program
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 48)

I would like to thank the Minister for his answer. Mr. Speaker, as I said in my address about the budget, communication is poor. Thursday was another example of why I say we have poor communication in this House. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister please advise the House when we on this side will get a full briefing on why this program was phased out?

Member's Statement on Proposed Elimination of the Social Work Diploma Program
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 48)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, the social issues in the NWT are not going away with an increase in industrial development. It needs to be a balanced approach by this government. When you look at our social issues in the NWT, they are vast and many, which could possibly have lessened with a workforce of people trained and educated on northern social work program.

Mr. Speaker, here we go again -- the fiscal restraint taken over without looking at the longterm picture of the Northwest Territories. The ill-advised cuts to Aurora College are misguided at best and...

Bill 13: Marriage Act
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 48)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to report to this Assembly that the Standing Committee on Social Development has concluded its review of Bill 13, Marriage Act, and wishes to report that Bill 13 is now ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 511-18(2): Proposed Elimination of Social Work Diploma Program
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 48)

I would like to thank the Minister for his answer. That is encouraging. Mr. Speaker, in my Member's statement, I spoke about how the college communicated with its students via email. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister please advise this House if the college has a communication policy that they use when informing students about changes and if this policy was adhered to on Thursday?

Question 498-18(2): Junior Kindergarten Implementation
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 47)

I thank the Minister for his answer. I have read that. I've read all your documentations. I've seen it, but I've got a whole bunch of communities out there that are asking these questions. When we're looking at implementing this junior kindergarten, has the department looked at additional costs such as busing, staffing to make sure that we have proper busing for these children, and the safety and then inclusive schooling with this junior kindergarten?