Lesa Semmler

Member Inuvik Twin Lakes

Minister of Health and Social Services

Lesa Semmler currently serves as the Member representing Inuvik Twin Lakes in the 20th Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly, having been re-elected to the position. Born in Yellowknife, NT, and raised in Inuvik, where she still resides, Ms. Semmler has deep roots in the Northwest Territories. 

A Registered Nurse, Ms. Semmler graduated from the Aurora College Northern Nursing Program in 2000 and earned her Community Health Nurse Certification from the Canadian Nurses Association in 2008. With 15 years of frontline nursing experience at the Inuvik Regional Hospital, she focused on Acute Care, Homecare, and Public Health. Her career also included roles as the Manager of Acute Care Services and eventually the Regional Manager of Acute Care Services under the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority. Notably, she served as the Inuvialuit Health System Navigator at the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, assisting Inuvialuit Beneficiaries in navigating the healthcare system. 

Beyond her healthcare career, Ms. Semmler has actively contributed to education and community service. She served on the Inuvik District Education Authority, assuming the role of Chair from 2015 to 2018, and chaired the Beaufort Delta Education Council. Ms. Semmler participated in various working groups at the territorial and national levels, including the Inuit Tuberculosis Elimination Board and the Inuit Midwifery Revitalization. Her commitment to social justice is evident in her voluntary work as a member of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls National Family Advisory Circle, where she worked to ensure northern voices were heard and represented. Lesa Semmler's life and career reflect her passion for healthcare, education, and advocating for the well-being of her community.

Inuvik Twin Lakes Electoral District

Committees

Lesa Semmler
Inuvik Twin Lakes
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Lesa_semmler@ntassembly.ca
Phone
(867) 767-9143 (link is a phone number)
Constituency Office

125 Mackenzie Rd
Unit 203
Inuvik NT X0E 0T0
Canada

P.O. Box
3130
Constituency Phone
867-678-2429(link is a phone number)
Minister
Email
Lesa_semmler@gov.nt.ca
Minister of Health and Social Services

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 23)

Thank you, Minister. Do you wish to bring witnesses into the House?

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 23)

Thank you. We will move to Health and Social Services programs, beginning on page 170, with information up to page 174. Questions? Member for Kam Lake.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 23)

Thank you. Are there any further questions for this section? Member for Monfwi.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 23)

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 23)

Thank you. Minister.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 23)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just to clarify, it's not under this budget. I guess I can ask that under the regional budget if it's not under here. Within the medical services, as well, I understand that this is the line item above. It hasn't changed. Are we just assuming that this is what we pay for hospital services outside of the territory and that, on average, there's no increase? In addition to that, we're limiting the amount of patients that are going out of the territory right now, for the last two months and possibly, who knows how long, with sending them out. Are we going to have a decrease...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 22)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Committee has been considering Tabled Document 30-19(2), Main Estimates 2020-2021, and wish to report progress. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 22)

I call the committee to order. Can we take a short recess? What is the wish of the committee? Mr. Norn.

Question 237-19(2): On-going Issues Facing the Northwest Territories
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 22)

Thank you, Madam Premier, for your answer. There's another component to my question: we know we have talks of an election, maybe, in the fall, so do we have an idea of when we can expect more resources to flow north to help us, as a government, to tackle some of these issues?

Member's Statement on On-going Issues facing the Northwest Territories
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 22)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. While we as a government deal with the COVID pandemic, it will and is becoming very clear that we will need more resources to address the needs of our residents. People will look to the government to help them during these trying times.

While we face this pandemic and all that it involves, we also have other ongoing issues here in the North. Some of the issues have been called a crisis. I'm speaking of issues like housing; health of our people; the cost of living; our children in care; protection of our vulnerable women and children; infrastructure needs, just in the...