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 17, 2017 , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 55)

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the Minister for that clarification. At this point in time, I have no further questions. Thank you.

Member's Statement on Income Assistance Food Rate Calculations

Debates of February 17, 2017 , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 55)

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Since the early 2000s it is my understanding, thanks to the mines and government projects, we have maintained a significant higher per capita income than the rest of Canada. This would be great if it was across all 33 communities. Unfortunately, the latest statistics show that we have a huge number of residents struggling with low income. There is a vast income gap between the major centres and the smaller communities. Do not get me wrong; the big centres do have lowincome residents, but they are not the majority, whereas the residents from the smaller communities are.

M...

Debates of February 17, 2017 , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 55)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I thank the Minister for his answer. I understand it's more than the 19. The reason I'm asking this, and you talk about partnerships, in Fort Simpson last night they were talking about instructional hours. The messaging came across that this is a DEA responsibility. They're the one pushing this agenda. Then it becomes an issue of who is responsible for it. So the messaging is, as well as we tried to get it across, I understand the partnership, but we need to be able to get the message out there and need to be working together and the partners shouldn't be the ones holding...

Debates of February 17, 2017 , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 55)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'll try to clarify it, and I apologize to the Minister if I wasn't getting my message across. We just went through two things that have been brutal, the best way to describe it. It's been bad for your department, bad for everybody. So what I'm asking you is, you're working on developing the strategy to get the messaging out. Are you willing or able to share that strategy once it's all said and done, the policy or the direction that you're developing to get messaging out with us here? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of February 17, 2017 , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 55)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just a few things in regard to this communication challenge or issue. The Minister and the deputy minister talked about things they learned from getting the messaging out. Can the Minister or the deputy minister please give us an update on what they learned on how to get this communication out? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Question 604-18(2): Agriculture and Fisheries Support Position

Debates of February 17, 2017 , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 55)

I thank the Minister for the non-commitment. I mean, that's great to hear. However, we talk about decentralization and it seems that we have to be living in Yellowknife to look after the broader territory. So I understand the Minister. I will ask him again: will he re-evaluate this and see the importance of moving the position that would have a better service to the NWT in Hay River?

Question 604-18(2): Agriculture and Fisheries Support Position

Debates of February 17, 2017 , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 55)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have heard my honourable colleague from Hay River North ask the Minister of ITI about the position in Hay River and being moved there. Then he talks about it being panterritorial. It is a position here in Yellowknife. Can the Minister explain why, magically, Yellowknife is the best place for a panterritorial position? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 596-18(2): Income Assistance Food Rate Calculations

Debates of February 17, 2017 , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 55)

Mahsi cho to the Minister for his answer. I am in a unique situation, and I think I am unique here in the 19 ridings, as I have two communities that do not have stores. They have to rely on going to another community. Does the department take into consideration this factor when they come up with the subsidy?

Question 596-18(2): Income Assistance Food Rate Calculations

Debates of February 17, 2017 , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 55)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today in my Member's statement, I was talking about income security. During my tours and talking to people, they are trying to understand it better, and I am not maybe doing the best job, so I guess what I am asking the Minister of ECE is: what factors are taken into calculating income support? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Member's Statement on Income Assistance Food Rate Calculations

Debates of February 17, 2017 , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 55)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues. When digging further, I am informed the program has fixed food rates for each community and there is a cost-of-living factor in the IA food rates. Unfortunately, it does not factor in the cost of the person's time, travel or freight to get the food. I will hope that the government will look into this matter to help out these two small communities.

Mr. Speaker, I'll have questions for the Minister of ECE in regard to the matter later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.