Jay Macdonald

Member Thebacha

Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Minister of Justice
Government House Leader

Jay Macdonald was elected to the 20th Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly to represent the constituency of Thebacha. Mr. Macdonald was elected to the Executive Council of the 20th Assembly.

Mr. Macdonald was born on June 26, 1964, in the town of Hay River, Northwest Territories. As an Indigenous Métis, Jay's roots run deep in the Northern Canadian landscape, and his journey has been marked by diverse experiences that have enriched both his personal and professional life.

Mr. Macdonald’s family relocated to Fort Smith in 1970. Mr. Macdonald successfully managed his small engine repair shop, providing essential services to the community and establishing himself as a reliable entrepreneur. Simultaneously, he delved into the intricacies of recreation facility management, overseeing operations at the local arena and golf course.

In his 13-year tenure as the Manager of Forest Management Services with the Environment and Conservation Division of the Government of the Northwest Territories, Mr. Macdonald demonstrated an unwavering commitment to environmental stewardship.

Mr. Macdonald’s dedication to youth development is evident in his 12-year role as the House Parent Program Coordinator for the Western Arctic Leadership Program. For five years, he served as a house parent, providing a nurturing environment for students from Lutsel Ke attending PWK High School. This experience not only showcased his compassion but also contributed significantly to the academic and personal growth of the students under his care.

Drawing on his expertise as a Journey Person Small Equipment Technician, Mr. Macdonald spent 13 years managing a Polaris dealership and served as an Instructor for Small Equipment Maintenance, Aviation Fuel Management, and Logistics disciplines under the Incident Command System.

Mr. Macdonald’s commitment to community extends beyond his professional roles. As a dedicated volunteer, he served as President and Coach of Fort Smith Minor Hockey, nurturing young talent and instilling the values of teamwork and sportsmanship. His coaching prowess extended to the national stage as he led Team NWT at the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships.

In his role as a representative of the Fort Smith Métis Nation on the local District Education Association Board, Mr. Macdonald contributed to shaping educational policies that reflect the unique needs of the community. Additionally, he served as a Board Member and Chair of the Northwest Territories Apprenticeship and Occupational Certification Board, advocating for the recognition and advancement of skilled trades.

Mr. Macdonald’s commitment to community welfare is further evidenced by his involvement in various local activities and events. Whether coaching minor sports or contributing to volunteer initiatives, he has consistently worked towards creating a vibrant and cohesive community fabric.

Outside of his professional and community engagements, Mr. Macdonald has a full family life. He is married to Karen, is a proud father to three children, and a doting grandfather to three grandchildren.

In his leisure time, Jay indulges in hobbies that reflect his love for the outdoors. Golfing, fishing, gardening, and enjoying the vast Northern landscapes are among his favorite pastimes.

Thebacha Electoral District:

Committees

Jay Macdonald
Thebacha
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Email
Phone
(867) 767-9143
Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Minister
Email
Email

Statements in Debates

Question 683-20(1): Legal Aid Supports in Small Communities
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 57)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Legal Aid Commission also has other lawyers that provide legal services and advice for folks that, you know, don't have resources or that need support. So this is also part of the outreach and with the intent, you know, is in January of 2025, we made some changes to the schedule to allow the lawyers that are travelling to communities to be available in those communities for longer periods of time, and also went in the direction of trying to make sure that, when possible, we were getting consistent representation, so the same lawyer was going back to the...

Question 681-20(1): Preparations for 2025 Wildfire Season
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 57)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think the department has done a fabulous job of committing to, you know, improving our wildfire preparedness across the NWT.

We've increased human and financial investment. We have the community wildfire resilience contribution program that was launched this year and is offering just under $2 million of additional investment in FireSmart implementation for communities and organizations across the territory. We're actively working with communities to provide preparedness and mitigation training.

Additionally, we've been working closely with the NWT...

Question 681-20(1): Preparations for 2025 Wildfire Season
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 57)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question.

You know, I'd like to start off by saying that, you know, it's early days in the season for 2025 and to date, one thing that our ECC staff did is they've already responded to ten fires in the Northwest Territories. And, unfortunately, of those ten fires, nine were human caused. I'm happy to report that all ten have been declared out.

ECC has also done a lot of work in -- that we scanned for holdover fires to ensure that we're able to properly and proactively address those. We have brought our firefighters on earlier and done...

Question 677-20(1): Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 57)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this really does -- this question really speaks to the complexity of SCAN. You know, SCAN did come to this House previously, and I think, you know, as we looked at going through and redoing the SCAN legislation, a big part of that was ensuring that, you know, there was a detailed policy and legal analysis done to ensure that, you know, what was brought forward is appropriate for the NWT, it was sound legally, and in line with our jurisdictional best practices, you know. And certainly looking at the Yukon Supreme Court decision on how that would potentially...

Question 671-20(1): Unauthorized Disclosures of Personal Information
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 56)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's a very sensitive area, and I'm unable to respond to the Member at this time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 56)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to welcome Sholto Douglas, a constituent from Thebacha, to the House today. Sholto is here in honour of Robert (Bobby) Douglas, World War II veteran from the Royal Canadian Airforce combat. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 674-20(1): Caribou Harvesting and Wastage
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 56)

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, Mr. Speaker, I agree very much with what the Member said. I think that that engagement with the communities and ensuring that, you know, those traditional practices, how to properly use a gun to hunt safely, to respect the animals, how to properly, you know, deal with the -- all of the useable parts of the animal, ensuring that that -- if you're -- as a harvester aren't using those particular components that, you know, you're sharing with other members of your communities and, you know, ensuring that that's happening. And a big part of that learning effort is...

Question 674-20(1): Caribou Harvesting and Wastage
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 56)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, and I also agree that, you know, it's very troubling to see the wastage of the caribou over the past season. In 2024, we had zero instances of wastage that were reported and in 2025, we currently have 11 investigations on the go. Our strategy is, you know, we put joint communiques out over the winter, engaging with the local Indigenous governments in a collaborative effort to ensure that we were messaging respectful harvesting. We've also recently engaged with Indigenous governments across the region to have meetings throughout the summer to address some of...

Question 671-20(1): Unauthorized Disclosures of Personal Information
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 56)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the department is reviewing the recommendations of the report, and I can't specifically answer that question at this time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 666-20(1): Northwest Territories Legal Aid Commission Capacities
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 56)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'll have to take that question as notice. Thank you.