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 1122-20(1): Improving Dental Services in Small Communities
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 86)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, within the communities, dental -- or sorry, community health reps can be doing a lot of that health promotion, especially in the public, in the schools, making sure that, you know, it's an important part of teaching kids to make sure they're brushing their teeth. Also, the other piece underway is the modernization of dental equipment as I mentioned. But I would like to say that there are some Indigenous governments that have taken some more leads in this area, and I would -- the IRC for instance, they have established their own program, you know, with...

Question 1122-20(1): Improving Dental Services in Small Communities
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 86)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the Member's question, right now what we are doing, immediate steps what we are doing is ensuring that there is a process for everyone who is covered under their insurance, applicable insurance. So for First Nation/Inuit, that would be through NIHB; Metis benefit, then they would go through that program or extended health benefits or employer benefits. But while saying that, that will help to access the travel to get to the dentist in the capital, or if you're in the Beaufort Delta sometimes it helps to get you to Whitehorse, what we're doing right now is we've -- we...

Tabled Document 482-20(1): Additional Information for Written Question 30-20(1): Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority Action Plans
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 86)

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document: Additional Information for Written Question 30-20(1): Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority Action Plans. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 1120-20(1): Dental Therapist Program
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 86)

Mr. Speaker, at this time, where we are focusing on is during COVID, as many people know, that we ceased to be able to send dentists into the community. Those RFPs that went out to the private dentists who do provide that support in small communities, right now we are working with Indigenous Service Canada to be able to get that up and going, and we should be -- I believe we're ready to be putting out those RFPs soon so that dentists will be traveling back into the communities. We are not at the stage in health to be doing any of the training of that. That is a discussion that I can have with...

Question 1132-20(1): Speech and Language Pathologists
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 86)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe that Nunavut has a contract with the Northwest Territories to be able to provide those services; however, I do believe that we prioritize, you know, all of the -- everyone that's coming into the system, but I'd have to take that back and get more detail on how that would work. But I do believe that if we weren't able to meet the needs, you know -- like, I don't have that level of detail here in the House. Thank you.

Question 1108-20(1): Medical Travel OUtside the Northwest Territories
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 85)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when people leave the territory for personal reasons, they are not referred out of the territory therefore they're not a medical travel patient therefore they're not eligible to stay in Larga. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 1117-20(1): Healthcare Informatics
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 85)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have 33 communities. We have a state-of-the-art territorial hospital. It is very expensive to run. And we have -- I don't know how many staff that -- off the top of my fingers, but we have the greatest amount of frontline staff next to education, and that is what's cost -- the cost of the budget. The department, as well, holds a lot of the money. And so what the public administrator is not in charge of leading the EMR. The RFP is being between I think the office of the OCIO. And in the department, we have our own staff that are working towards getting...

Question 1106-20(1): Primary Care Framework
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 85)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the work plan that was -- so the dashboard here, I believe that they were -- the NTHSSA launched a new online indicator dashboard in December that allowed the public to access information, interest in several areas. There has been some computer stuff to try and get the dashboard of the PA. However, I will follow up with the PA when I meet with him this week. Thank you.

Question 1117-20(1): Healthcare Informatics
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 85)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes.

Question 1106-20(1): Primary Care Framework
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 85)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the final primary care framework has yet to be released. Deliverables will be dependent on this framework. In tandem with the primary care reform work, the PA worked on improving access to care closer to home in the Dehcho cabin community, so the team was busy in that area. And so we'll be looking to increase -- I believe the next phase is -- and as I mentioned, I believe they'll be starting the work in April on the patient journey in Yellowknife. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.