Lesa Semmler

Députée d’Inuvik Twin Lakes

Ministre de la Santé et des Services sociaux

Lesa Semmler a été réélue à la 20e Assemblée législative des Territoires du Nord-Ouest après avoir été députée représentant Inuvik Twin Lakes à la 19e Assemblée. Mme Semmler a été élue au Conseil exécutif de la 20e Assemblée législative des Territoires du Nord-Ouest.

Mme Semmler est née à Yellowknife (TNO) et a grandi à Inuvik (TNO), où elle réside encore aujourd’hui.

Mme Semmler a obtenu son diplôme d’infirmière autorisée dans le cadre du Programme d’études en soins infirmiers dans le Nord du Collège Aurora en 2000 et son attestation d’infirmière en santé communautaire de l’Association des infirmières et infirmiers du Canada en 2008. Elle a décroché son certificat en leadership du Collège de Vancouver en 2012 et son certificat du programme de perfectionnement en leadership du gouvernement des Territoires du Nord-Ouest et de la School of Business de l’Université de l’Alberta en 2016.

Pendant 15 ans, Mme Semmler a été infirmière autorisée de première ligne à l’Hôpital régional d’Inuvik, où elle s’est concentrée sur les soins de courte durée, les soins à domicile et la santé publique. Elle a également travaillé pendant un an au Service de santé publique à Yellowknife, et a été gestionnaire du service de soins de courte durée à l’Hôpital régional d’Inuvik, puis gestionnaire régionale des soins de courte durée après la fusion avec l’Administration des services de santé et des services sociaux des TNO. Plus récemment, elle a travaillé pour la Société régionale inuvialuite à titre d’intervenante pivot du système de santé pour les Inuvialuits, aidant les bénéficiaires inuvialuits à s’orienter dans le système de santé.

De 2012 à 2015, Mme Semmler a siégé au conseil d’administration de l’Administration scolaire de district d’Inuvik, dont elle a assuré la présidence de 2015 à 2018. Durant cette période, elle a également été présidente du Conseil scolaire de Beaufort-Delta.

Mme Semmler a également été membre de nombreux groupes de travail aux niveaux territorial et national, tels que le Conseil inuit d’éradication de la tuberculose, l’initiative de revitalisation des services de sages-femmes inuites et Hotii ts’eeda (Stratégie de recherche axée sur le patient des TNO). Elle a par ailleurs été membre de la Société régionale inuvialuite ainsi que de nombreuses autres initiatives liées à la santé.

En outre, Mme Semmler s’est portée volontaire à titre de membre du Cercle conseil national des familles de l’Enquête sur les femmes et les filles autochtones disparues et assassinées. Elle a ainsi eu l’honneur de prendre part à cet événement historique traitant du passé des Territoires du Nord-Ouest, œuvrant à ce que toutes les voix du Nord soient entendues et représentées dans le rapport final.

Mme Semmler aime lire, réaliser de petits projets de rénovation et faire de la motomarine dans le delta du Mackenzie avec son mari pendant l’été.

Elle est mariée à Jozef Carnogursky, son partenaire depuis 25 ans. Ils ont deux enfants, Jozef et Myja.

Committees

Lesa Semmler
Inuvik Twin Lakes
Bureau

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Boîte
1320
Bureau de circonscription

125 Mackenzie Rd
Unit 203
Inuvik NT X0E 0T0
Canada

P.O. Boîte
3130
Constituency Phone
Ministre
Ministre de la Santé et des Services sociaux

Déclarations dans les débats

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 75)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Dempster Highway is the only way in and out of the Beaufort Delta by road. It's our lifeline to the rest of Canada. Yes, we are NWT residents, but there is no way for us to get to the rest of the NWT unless we drive through Yukon, BC, and Alberta at this time. Or if we can afford to pay the high cost of an airline ticket, and many cannot.

As many in this House are aware, the Yukon has opened its borders without isolation restrictions to those who are vaccinated. Everyone at home is waiting patiently for the ferries to go in, Diane, so they can hit the Dempster.

But...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 75)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Ombud has flagged a potential gap where information provided by the Ombud to a department or agency as part of an investigation could be disclosed by that department. The Ombud has recommended that any information originated with the Office of the Ombud must be kept confidential.

The committee agrees that information from the Ombud should remain confidential, and therefore recommends:

The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that Section 25 be amended to specifically impose an obligation on anyone receiving confidential...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 75)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, I mean, we've been travelling all over the world before COVID, and there are vaccinations that we need to have in order to enter some countries. And we as a past public health nurse, I've provided these vaccines and given them their records, and they've been able to enter these countries. I don't understand why we can't go from Yukon to the Northwest Territories or vice versa.

So I'm just going to move on. And what you know, has there been any discussion about a temporary absence right now that could provide Beaufort Delta residents to go into the Yukon for at...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 75)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. As I mentioned in my statement, the importance of the Beaufort DeltaYukon connection and that we want clear answers, not statistics. I would like to ask the Minister what risk measurements are being used to make decisions around border restrictions and movement of people of the NWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 74)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When you live in a small community, when we live outside of Yellowknife, there's not a lot of people that can do the job as ED. The job is a difficult job in the homeless shelter, and if the person is qualified to do it, a government job comes up, they're gone. This is a position that is vital for ensuring funding is coming in, ensuring that staffing is being taken of.

This manager position, you know, this is where these kind of positions should be put in. We should start looking at this homelessness strategy and having a good plan to have if we have to...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 74)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The emergency warming shelter in Inuvik is vital to our home residents. You know, in my opinion, it saved many lives over the years. This government has put millions into COVID restrictions to save lives. When are we going to do that, the same for addictions and homelessness?

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask the Minister, in Inuvik, is her department continuing to help to ensure that the homeless in Inuvik are being looked after, if there's things for them in place. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 74)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my final supplementary, I just want to know will the Minister commit to making sure that there's something in place for our homeless in Inuvik right now so that they have a place to wash, so they have a place to use the washroom, where they can try and get a meal. Like, we need to have something for our homeless right now. With this board, we don't even know if they're meeting right now. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 74)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This challenge isn't from March or February. This challenge has been ongoing. I raised it in the fall session. They've been struggling. This is volunteer board of caring people that just keep trying to keep this open. Will the Minister can she commit that this manager or person is somebody who's in Inuvik and maybe where all of our shelters are to have somebody directly working in that community from her department in the community of Inuvik to ensure that this board has support. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 74)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In a previous members statement, I stated that housing is a basic necessity that everyone needs, especially here in the North where the temperatures swing dramatically. And at home right now, currently, it's snowing.

Mr. Speaker, I raised the issue on October 28th, 2020, regarding the struggles that the Inuvik Emergency Warming Shelters was having. At that time, the Minister stated her department was working on a homelessness strategy but the draft was still not complete.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister also committed to sending in staff to assist with the operations and staff...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 70)

Thank you. Member.