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 , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 136)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is rec facilities in every community, whether it's a community hall, small gym, gym, rec centres, curling rinks, hockey rinks there. So if that's what the Member's looking for, yes, that's what's in these communities. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 136)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I need to clarify. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, that's their regional job, is to get into the communities. The communities, as soon as they ask, we get in there. The school of government's willing to come in and offer courses there. The school has a calendar of events but if there's specifically one area that they need, we work with the community to do that. So we're more than willing to do that. The staff go in there. They are working with the communities. As soon as the communities ask, the regional offices work with them to get...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 136)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, Mr. Speaker, the Member talks about a very difficult and challenging situation in the communities. The department has regional assistant fire marshals out there that work with the communities. The communities just need to reach out to them. We can offer the training through the school of community government. The Member talks about the lack of volunteers. That's one of the challenges that we see a lot of, but we are working with the communities. So if the communities in his riding are looking for support, we are more than willing to bring in our staff to come in...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 136)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that's a unique way, I thank the Member for talking about that but, unfortunately, we have a process that we work with the communities and we develop their capital plan. A few years back, we got away from us, as the government, building facilities and so the communities get the money through that there. But what I can tell you is we've reached out with NWTAC and we've reached out to the federal government. So we're trying to get these funding opportunities to be able to bundle things, work on getting increase in funding so we can help communities build...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 136)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we work with the municipal governments. We do have staff there. Gameti has, my understanding they have a school gym. They also have an outdoor rink that's covered. So there is facilities there. And we do provide funding in the communities for after school activities as well, whether it's the rec department or the school that offers these opportunities. But we're more than willing if there's a community that needs help, then we're more than willing to work with them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 136)

I guess the Member's not listening. I guess I'm not speaking properly here so I'm going to try this one more time. The staff reach out to the communities. The communities reach out to the staff. We work on a plan. So if the Member wishes us to reach out to his community, we will reach out to his communities again. But we work with them. That's our process. We work with them. When they ask us to get in there to help, we do that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 136)

Mr. Speaker, I represent six small communities as well. I know my communities have reached out to the assistant fire marshal's office. The office is more than willing to come into the communities and work with them. We're also school of community government, we've had the ability to go into the community and work with the community specifically. So if we have volunteers that need first aid training, if they need fire training, we're more than willing to go into those communities to work with them. So the community, we can have the staff there. So that's what we're willing to do. Thank you, Mr...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 136)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, before I get into my Member’s statement, I’d just like to wish my two daughters, Nancy and Deborah, a Happy Birthday today.

Mr. Speaker, Brian Kotchea was born on June 7th, 1970, in Fort Liard, to Frederick and Martine Kotchea. He was one of 11 children. They raised their children at the family's traditional camp at Francois, British Columbia. This is where Brian gained many traditional skills from his parents and spoke fluent Slavey. At the camp, Brian developed his traditional skills and knowledge to become a successful hunter and trapper. Over the years...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 135)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I have told the Member in the email, it's a privacy issue. We reached out to Justice and we got the information that way. So we can't be sharing that information. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 135)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is no residential requirements to hold outfitter licenses so a nonNWT resident can obtain outfitters licenses. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.