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 35)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Department of Municipal and Community Affairs recently commissioned in the Sutcliffe Report to review MACA's mandate and goals in support of recreation and physical activities, and to make recommendations about how to manage lottery funds and operations in support of our revised mandate goals. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister please provide some information about who the Sutcliffe Group consulted in the development of their report and recommendations? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 35)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank my colleagues out there. Mr. Speaker, it's been a little frustrating to say the least, according to some of the organizations that were involved in the process. It wasn't entirely clear to them what the rationale was for the structure change for removing Sport North as a funding agent for the membership. Mr. Speaker, by removing Sport North as a funding agent to its membership it seems the department limits the ability of the federation to help improve the health of the communities.

Mr. Speaker, I could spend hours, maybe months, maybe years on this topic...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 34)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to present a petition dealing with the matter of increasing funding for local programming and governance workshops for communityled boards and district education authorities. Mr. Speaker, the petition contains 144 signatures of the Northwest Territories residents, and, Mr. Speaker, the petition requests that the Government of the Northwest Territories increase funding to communityled boards and district education authorities to increase local programming in areas such as governance, workshops readiness, trades, and outdoor and cultural activities...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 34)

I didn't understand that, but I have another question I need to forward on. We know that at least there are 43 exemptions in Cassidy Point, which is Commissioner's land, and that there's other out there that I'm aware of. That as I continue to bring this issue forward from my constituents there is exceptions to this rule. So can the Minister please advise this House what the process is for making exemptions to the rules?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 34)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, my questions will be for the Minister of Lands. I'm very grateful to hear that they make a commitment that he follow through on it, and I wish the other Ministers would follow the lead and follow the Lands Minister and any verbal commitments will follow through. Well, can the Minister please explain why the department still uses the Commissioner’s lands application process in areas where the unsettled land claim area? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 34)

I thank the Minister for his answer. Can the Minister please explain to this House what arrangements were made with the Yellowknife Dene First Nation to allow this land to be sold instead of the common practice of returning the lease in the areas where land claims are not settled? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 34)

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the Minister for that answer. I'm just going to assume I know this answer already but I'm going to ask it anyway: has this been shared with the communities and are the councils informed of their ability to do that? Because there seems to be some confusion out there so I'm wondering if it has been available to the communities that that’s what they can do. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 34)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the June sitting, I asked some questions for the Minister of Lands. Today, I wish to follow up on these questions. Can the Minister please provide the title of the official who made the commitment to move ahead with the fee simple transaction at Cassidy Point? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 34)

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the Minister who will be providing that for us. In regards to this funding, the infrastructure deficit, does this funding allow communities to purchase or build homes for staff so they can get quality people in to the communities and give them homes so that they can do the work that's needed? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 34)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Does the department with this money have rules and guidelines for the projects that each community can and cannot do? Thank you, Mr. Chair.