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

Nahendeh
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Extension
11128
Constituency Office

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

Phone

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 138)

Mr. Speaker, yes, there has been stuff and water and sewer is one of them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 138)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That wasn't our intention. I don't know if oil and gas wants it there. He has an article from 2014. The Liberal government is in power right now in Ottawa so I don't know what's going on there. So, Mr. Speaker, the land withdrawal change was completed in September of 2022. This means previous withdrawal land was returned available public lands. So it's public land. If people wish to use it for healing camps, cabins, tourism opportunities, that is available. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 138)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The reindeer grazing herd was established under a land withdrawal order and never intended to be a protected area or a tool to manage and protect wildlife in the area. The GNWT's approach to reduce the size of the reserve to the area of existing herd activity was discussed with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation to ensure the needs of the reindeer herd were met. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 138)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House to celebrate the life of Ms. Millie Kuliktana. It has almost been a month since Millie passed away. For the people that got to know her, she was a wife, mother, grandmother, friend, mentor, teacher, super volunteer, and sister who had a heart of gold. She was about serving others throughout her life. She was well known and respected across Canada, especially in Nunavut, NWT, Yukon and Alaska.

I like to share the first time I met her. I was hired as the recreation coordinator trainee for the hamlet of Coppermine, now known as Kugluktuk. It...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 138)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The current contract covers the work required to carry out the order issued by the regulator of the oil and gas regulations to comply with any directions from the GNWT inspectors. The regulator is inspected and certified the work being done. As mentioned, the receiver is working to submit a revised closure and reclamation plan by June of 2024. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 138)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The NWT receiver sought bids through the procure process from all parties, including Northern Indigenous governments and Northern businesses. The NWT receiver did not receive any bids from Northern businesses or Indigenous governments. To the Department of Lands' knowledge, there currently is no one from the NWT working at the site but that there may be opportunities for subcontractors to conduct some of the upcoming work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 138)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Member helping out people. That's greatly I think that's awesome.

In regards to the budgeting process, committee has the opportunity to bring forward requests for increases. We're more than willing to do that, but they need to work with the Finance Minister on that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 138)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we will be putting $5 million into this. We do work with the communities of NWTAC through that process, so we do have a process that we do submit stuff to Cabinet. Decisions are made by Cabinet and to this House and that's how we move forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 138)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I thank the Member for giving the questions ahead of time. Sometimes he doesn't like our answers, but we are giving him the answers, so.

The GNWT recognized the land withdrawal order overlapped with some Inuvialuit community conservation plans and some special management zones in the Gwich'in land use plan. As mentioned, ENR worked with lands to engage with the Gwich'in, Inuvialuit land claims organizations and the wildlife comanagement boards to consider a size reduction to the reserve. This engagement included Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, Inuvialuit Joint...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 138)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the land withdrawal order for the reindeer grazing reserve was originally established by the federal government in 1936, as the Member has said here in his Member's statement. The reindeer herd has never used the full area of the original land withdrawal. The very large withdrawal area resulted in local requests for leases being refused, including interest in cultural healing camps, personal cabins, and tourism lodging opportunities. Starting in 2021, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Lands engaged with the Gwich'in and Inuvialuit land...