Lesa Semmler

Member Inuvik Twin Lakes

Minister of Health and Social Services
Minister Responsible for the Status of Women 

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

Lesa Semmler
Inuvik Twin Lakes
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Email
Phone
(867) 767-9143
Constituency Office

125 Mackenzie Rd
Unit 203
Inuvik NT X0E 0T0
Canada

P.O. Box
3130
Constituency Phone
867-678-2429
Minister's Office
Email
Email

Statements in Debates

Question 1531-19(2): Homelessness in Inuvik
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 156)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over this last little while I've been doing some more work on these homeless shelters, and what I found is there are positions that have been created in Inuvik and one of the things is and I'll repeat this, and we've all said it in the House. Inuvik, for one, is not Yellowknife. So you can't pick up what has been done in Yellowknife and drop it in Inuvik and expect it to work and all the same job descriptions and, you know, and expect that expertise to be in that community.

So can the Minister tell me when her department will ensure that there's a dedicated...

Bill 79: An Act to Amend the Judicature Act, Carried
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 156)

Clause 4, does committee agree?

Member’s Statement 1533-19(2): Homelessness in Inuvik
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 156)

Mr. Speaker, today I'd like to bring attention to the homeless shelters in Inuvik as I have many times in this House. Early on in this Assembly, I raised the concerns of the emergency warming shelter and the issues that they were having and having to close its door due to internal issues just as the temperatures were dropping. Mr. Speaker, the Minister's response at that time was to assume control over these shelters, and both shelters were dissolved the shelter boards were dissolved. I have asked the Minister what is the future plan of these shelters in Inuvik many times since then. What...

Bill 79: An Act to Amend the Judicature Act, Carried
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 156)

Clause 2, does committee agree?

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 154)

Thank you. Does committee agree? There's a motion on the floor to report progress. The motion is in order and nondebatable. All those in favour? Opposed? The motion is carried.

Carried

Question 1510-19(2): Searching for Frank Gruben
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 154)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I guess my last question is, you know, it's this time of the year, the mother is concerned that there are fires close to that community; it is a time of the year where all the animals are coming out and, you know what, we don't want to think the worst but, you know, the reality is we haven't seen him for a long time and so within his department or any other department that there's funds available somehow to support the family or more searches within the surrounding area of Fort Smith and to, you know, with the police and everything? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 1510-19(2): Searching for Frank Gruben
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 154)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Justice.

Mr. Speaker, as a mother of two children, I can't even imagine what Laura is going through with Frank missing. The feeling of not having any power and to feel that the RCMP is not doing enough to find her son. So I'm asking the Minister of Justice to commit to contacting the commanding officer of the Northwest Territories to ensure that the RCMP in Fort Smith have all the staff that they need, any missing persons expertise to continue the investigation to bring Frank home. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 154)

Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Bill 23, Bill 29, Minister Statement 264-19(2) and Tabled Document 681-19(2) and would like to report progress. And Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 154)

I now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Member for Frame Lake.

Question 1510-19(2): Searching for Frank Gruben
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 154)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, you know, I think the Northwest Territories is going through a lot right now, and I think the Minister is going through a lot right now in his own home community, and I think the Northwest Territories continues to be a reactive. We're always reacting to situations. And, you know, we've worked hard in this government to bring the missing and murdered to life and to make actions and Calls to Actions. And I just want the Minister to follow up with the RCMP on their section of that section 9 of the Calls to Action, because is there a way is there a department...