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
Constituency Office

125 Mackenzie Rd
Unit 203
Inuvik NT X0E 0T0
Canada

P.O. Box
3130
Constituency Phone
Minister's Office
Email

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 41)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have not heard from the physicians that want to go back to fee for service, but I will bring that forward to NTHSSA to see if that's something that they're hearing. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 41)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, you know, as I mentioned before, like, we're having this conversation about the college. We're having these conversations about NTPC. We're having these conversations about all of these -- you know, that they determine and their expertise within NTHSSA will determine, by using the priorities that are given, and like I said, I will share the mandate with the Members and, you know, and table it in this House on the direction that is given to them. That was the same thing that was given to the direction of the governing council before and so they -- they build...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 41)

Thank you. I do not have that information as I met with him prior to session. I will be meeting with him again not until next week in regards to our regular meetings, and I can ask that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 41)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I said, I will -- when I have the NTHSSA's budget, I will have that conversation with the Members. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 41)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, currently, the -- I have the information before me, and I have -- I'm just in the process of reviewing what will be shared with the Members, and at that time I will table that in the House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 41)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the council -- the public administrator has all the powers the governing council had. You know, and I think that's the one thing that the PA also has, is he has the expertise to be able to work and create the plan that everybody wants to see. And so the -- before what was happening was the governing council was expecting this plan to come, you know, and I've heard from many of the regional wellness council chairs that they, you know -- as this deficit grew over the last many years, you know, they continue to be wanting a plan on how they were going to deal...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 41)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm not familiar with the -- what the Member is referring to, but what I can say is that just even in this last few months I've had meetings with, you know, with physicians, with the medical -- NWT Medical Association. The PA has met with them, the CEO has met with them. You know, so we are trying to understand what, you know, some of the highlighted issues are with primary care reform and work with the physicians through that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 41)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, within our system, I hear what the Member is saying, however, there are doctors assigned to the primary care teams that are in Yellowknife, so that's the structure that we work around now. You know, if we look back over the years of how health care was provided and basically clinics were -- we went from a private health care model where doctors set up their own private clinics and, you know, took on patients, whereas right now all of the physicians in our system are now contracted to the NTHSSA and they are -- you know, they -- within that department, they...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 41)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm going to take that question on notice. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 40)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This kind of conversation on the floor of the House about cuts when we don't even know what the budget being presented is, so this is where I'm at is I'll update the Members once I have a conversation with the NTHSSA. I have yet to receive budgets from the health authorities. And so after I have those conversations, I'll have conversations with my Cabinet colleagues, and I will have conversations with the Members on the other side of the House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.