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

Shane Thompson
Nahendeh
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Phone
Extension
12005
Constituency Office

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

Phone

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 43)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I'm going to just do a couple of acknowledgements. First of all, I'd like to thank all my colleagues both here and on both sides for a great sitting and the work we are doing for the residents of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to take my time to recognize a few individuals in an organization in my riding. Mr. Speaker, the first person I'd like to recognize is Kathie McLeod. Ms. McLeod is the Echo-Dene School secretary and I know her personally, and I find her to be an amazing individual.

Mr. Speaker, after receiving her...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 43)

I thank the Minister for clarification on that; that's very helpful. Now I can work with the people in my riding that may be moving. That's very helpful.

The other big question, from what I've been hearing from the patients, does the department have a policy or a process that ensures that their information from the doctors or from our regional health centres are to the doctors down south? Or vice versa, the information is brought to the patient so they make sure they have everything there, so that, you know, it's not a waste of time, but so they get the treatment they needed? So can the...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 42)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday we heard in this House from the Minister of Justice that A New Day Program had 31 candidates, but when we met with the coordinators they informed us they had over 358 men and women take part in this program at the end of September. This is a huge difference in numbers. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister explain why there's a huge difference in these numbers? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 42)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for that answer. It's good to hear that we're able to try to find avenues to help our seniors. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister please advise this House what happens if the seniors run out of fuel or wood subsidies when they're looking at during the middle of the winter? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 42)

I thank the Minister for that answer. It's great to hear that we're helping our seniors and we're looking at that. The Minister talked about this review going on, and he's made that commitment to committee and they're working on it. Does he have a timeline when this review will actually be done and we can be looking at this review?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 42)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for his answer. Mr. Speaker, the Minister has said this is a three-year project. However, there was a nine-month gap in the service between the Healing Drum and the Tree of Peace Friendship Centre. It is my understanding that the program has been running only for 22 consecutive months at the Tree of Peace. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister please advise this House, does the nine months with the other organization count as part of this three-year pilot project and evaluation process?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 42)

I thank the Minister for his answer. There's a huge difference in numbers. So I'm going to ask this question. Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding that monthly reports were provided to the department. Mr. Speaker, were these reports given to the evaluators and are they part of the evaluation process, and are they using those numbers instead of the 31?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 42)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this past spring I had the opportunity to speak with Chief Peter Marcellais and a number of councillors and band managers about building a youth wellness camp near the community of Nahanni Butte and the proposed Canadian Zinc mine. The community was very excited about the potential of building a youth camp, not only for their youth but for the youth of the whole region.

The community looked at going through the Government of the Northwest Territories to build this camp. The community felt, going to the government, it would take years before the camp was a...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 42)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for that answer and look forward to that report. So what happens when the seniors are not eligible for that? Is there a process that the Minister can explain to this House? What happens if the seniors are not eligible for this support? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 42)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday, my colleague was asking questions of the Minister of Education, Culture, and Employment, and the Minister talked about 513 seniors accessing the seniors' heating subsidy. Can the Minister explain if this number has gone up or has it decreased from last year? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.