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

Board of Management

Nahendeh

Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box

1320

Email

Email

Phone

Extension

12005

Constituency Office

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

Phone

Statements in Debates

Debates of February 28, 2018 , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 18)

Thank you. I appreciate the answer. I guess the biggest concern I have is I know in Wrigley, as the community has told me, it has been based on a casual basis, and they are really concerned with trying to understand why it is not being indeterminate half-time positions, so I guess that is a question I ask the authority. Or do I ask you, as the Minister, to find that information out? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Question 178-18(3): Medical Travel

Debates of February 28, 2018 , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 18)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to follow up on my Member's statement with some questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services. My first question for the Minister: does the department track how many patients from the Nahendeh riding missed appointments or have to reschedule appointments because of flight changes? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of February 28, 2018 , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 18)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Does Wrigley have their homecare position filled right now? A full-time position or indeterminate half-time position? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of February 28, 2018 , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 18)

Right on. I hit the ball. In regards to the home support workers, can the Minister advise us the status of the new positions that were implemented last year and if those positions, especially in my riding, were for home care support workers? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of February 28, 2018 , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 18)

Yes, I do. Thank you. The next question: FASD and autism, is this in this section here? If it isn't, can the Minister advise us where it is? Thank you.

Debates of February 28, 2018 , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 18)

Thank you. Is this the area for mental health where we are talking about those new positions, because on page 177, it talks about -- oh, never mind. It answers my question. I have no questions in this area, Mr. Chair.

Debates of February 28, 2018 , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 18)

That was a good little humour, and I thank you very much. So what I'll do is I'll get the chair to give it to me; we'll work on that. In my final closing comment here, I have to applaud the department. I've said this before in my reply to the budget address, and I have to applaud the Department of Education, Culture and Employment for taking this unique way of doing things. I mean, I was a little skeptical or concerned with it. I had long conversations with the Minister and people back home on this, and I, again, thank the department. I thank them very much. It is muchly needed, and I'm just...

Debates of February 28, 2018 , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 18)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I thank the Minister for that answer. It was confusing. He cleared it up very perfectly, so I thank him very much. Those will be my questions for this section. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of February 28, 2018 , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 18)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess my concern is the job evaluation process. I've seen, in other departments, the process take up to a year, and that is a huge concern for me, especially with the need for these positions. In my riding especially, some of the challenges that we've been facing. So I guess my question is: does the Minister feel comfortable that these job evaluation processes are going to go smoothly? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of February 28, 2018 , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 18)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I thank the Minister for that. I guess my big concern is we start at five. We're around 20 now. If we continue to do it, it's just going to keep on going and going and going. I understand the department needs to do research on it, but at some point, I mean we just got to bite the bullet and do it.

I really think that this needs to be done sooner than later. I honestly believe that needs to be done during this 18th Assembly because, again, if we wait until the 19th Assembly, then we're going to see more increased costs. I guess my concern or my hope is that this will be...