Kieron Testart

Member Range Lake

Kieron Testart was elected to the 20th Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly to represent the constituency of Range Lake.

Mr. Testart was born on March 22, 1985, in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. He was raised in the Northwest Territories, first residing in Tuktoyaktuk and later in Yellowknife, where Mr. Testart now lives with his family, his diverse background and wealth of experiences have shaped his commitment to community development and effective governance.

Mr. Testart was elected as Member of the Legislative Assembly for Kam Lake in the 18th Legislative Assembly, where he demonstrated a keen understanding of the issues facing his constituents. Beyond his legislative roles, Kieron has contributed significantly to the economic development of the region. Serving as the Director of Economic Development for the Yellowknives Dene First Nation from 2021 to 2023. Mr. Testart’s commitment to education and language advocacy is evident in his role as Program Coordinator for Canadian Parents for French from 2020 to 2021. His efforts have extended to policy analysis within the Government of the Northwest Territories and serving as Deputy Sheriff from 2009 to 2014.

Academically, Kieron holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from the University of Lethbridge (2004-2009) and a Certificate in Parliamentary Governance from McGill University (2017).

Married to Colleen, he is the proud father of Corbin, Eve, and Leander. In addition to his professional pursuits, Kieron finds joy in various hobbies and interests, including a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport, a love for film and theatre, grassroots activism, and an avid curiosity about international affairs.

Kieron's commitment to community extends beyond the political realm. As a dedicated volunteer, he has been actively involved in various capacities, including serving on the NWT Federal Liberal Association Board of Directors since 2011, contributing to the Liberal Party of Canada. His volunteer experience also includes a position on the NWT Branch Board of Directors for Canadian Parents for French from 2014 to 2020 and mentoring youth with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada in 2014-2015.

Range Lake Electoral District

Committees

Accountability and Oversight
Social Development
Public Accounts
Procedure and Privileges
Kieron Testart
Range Lake
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Email
Phone
(867) 767-9143
Extension
12150
Constituency Office
Email
Email
Phone
867-447-0439

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 74)

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I do appreciate the Minister's comments about limited resources. I guess my concerns around this are: I know that a study was done many years ago on a new courthouse facility, but it just seems like this thing keeps eating money, as there are constantly new concerns that seem to be coming forward. It is an office tower that has been modified into a court facility, and the judiciary is intertwined with the Department of Justice, which is not an appropriate separation of power.

There are many concerns here, so I guess my concern is: although I know we have limited fiscal...

Member's Statement on Immigration
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 74)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, immigration enriches our communities, enhances our economy, strengthens our diversity, and grows our population, which is a very important goal for this government. Though the benefits of immigration are indisputable, the policies that govern immigration are often complex and difficult to make effective in various jurisdictions in Canada. Mr. Speaker, immigration is a shared responsibility and much of it is under the jurisdiction of the federal government. Our government operates its own nominee program through the Departments of Industry, Tourism and...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 74)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Is this work expected to be completed within the next fiscal year? Thank you.

Committee Motion 106-18(2): Bill 16: An Act to Amend the Education Act – Amendment to Clause 4 (re: Mandatory Review of Hours of Instruction after Three Years by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment), carried
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 73)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As with all things we do in this great institution of democracy, compromise is essential to ensuring we make good decisions for our people, and I am very thankful to have the support of Cabinet on this amendment. I am also thankful to the honourable Member for Yellowknife North for showing his support, and to the concerns raised by the honourable Member for Frame Lake.

Question 793-18(2): Yellowknife Schools Needs Assessment
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 73)

Merci, Monsieur le President. [English translation not provided.] We have 78 per cent for Yellowknife and 95 per cent for this one school. Clearly the Minister can see that there is a problem here. If we are going to keep pushing grades onto our school boards, we need to have some flexibility here so these schools can meet the needs of our families and our parents. I will ask again if, in the rollout of the new junior kindergarten funding in the fall, when these needs are assessed, will there be additional money provided to the schools to provide for temporary accommodations or retrofits to...

Committee Motion 106-18(2): Bill 16: An Act to Amend the Education Act – Amendment to Clause 4 (re: Mandatory Review of Hours of Instruction after Three Years by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment), carried
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 73)

Merci, Monsieur le President. I move that Bill 16 be amended by adding the following after clause 4:

4.1. The following is added after subsection 126(4):

(5) The Department of Education, Culture and Employment shall review the hours of instruction prescribed under subsection (4) within six months following the conclusion of the 2019-2020 academic year.

(6) The review shall consist of an examination of the hours of instruction, the effectiveness of the administration and implementation of the hours of instruction, and the achievement of the objectives behind the hours of instruction.

(7) The...

Question 793-18(2): Yellowknife Schools Needs Assessment
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 73)

I am glad that the Minister is looking into this, but this isn't a new issue. I would like the Minister to commit to a timeline if he can, today, on when we are going to have a sense of when this needs assessment work has been completed.

Committee Motion 104-18(2): Bill 16, An Act to Amend the Education Act – Amendments to Clause 4(b) (re: increase to grades 9-12 hours of instruction to 1000 hours), defeated
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 73)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would just like to thank my Honourable friend, the member for Nahendeh, for laying out some of these considerations. I, too, have consulted with some people on this issue. The crux of it is, the NWT students graduate with an NWT senior secondary diploma, and not an Alberta education diploma; and although there are some course equivalencies through the NWT senior secondary diploma such as the Alberta 30-1 or 30-2 language arts course, ultimately, the NWT's diploma is standalone. Universities do not require 1,000 hours when they are considering the NWT's senior secondary...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 73)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise again to recognize Mr. Fraser Oliver, Kam Lake constituent and president of the NWT Teachers' Association. I know he has been here every day so far this sitting, and eagerly awaiting the debate on Bill 16, which is today. I am sure he will be very pleased with our proceedings. Thank you.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 73)

On that point the intention of this move is to have that separation with government to create a more client-friendly atmosphere. The previous operators of this program had very good relationships with our many, many clients. I may not have heard the response to this question that has been asked, but what is being done to retain their expertise for the nationally recognized program they developed? Thank you.