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 419-20(1): Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority Operational Concerns
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 37)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The last discussion that I had on this was that the CAN was actually working on the solution, and I know that the Minister and I have touched base again to follow up on further discussions to have another updated meeting with them to where this is. I know that they're looking at the same model that -- they're looking to work with BC on the model that they have because of the -- to try and shorten the process of the assessment of the nurses that are -- international nurses that are coming into Canada to be able to come to work in the Northwest Territories. So as for...

Question 399-20(1): Diagnostic Rates for Autism
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 36)

Thanks, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, autism has a wide range of needs, and so every case would be assessed and identified as to what their needs are and then they would be, you know, referred to those appropriate services within the health authority to do further assessments. However, a lot of the services in those areas, we have a lot of vacancies and so there are -- there might be wait times for those services to be assessed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 399-20(1): Diagnostic Rates for Autism
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 36)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't have that level of detail here today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 399-20(1): Diagnostic Rates for Autism
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 36)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, again, I don't have that level of details here in the House, so I will have to get back to the Member with that information. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 399-20(1): Diagnostic Rates for Autism
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 36)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, again, that level of detail, you know, if there are -- information at that level of detail, I can get the information for the Member and get back to him on that. Thank you.

Question 390-20(1): Health Promotion in Communities
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 35)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, within each community -- and I had the privilege to go to the Sahtu, and while we were attending the AGM there for the Sahtu Secretariat, there was the CHR there and they were there in collaboration with health and the RCMP and they had a campaign going on for illicit drugs. You know, we've heard many times that there are those things. That was happening. And I spoke to the CHR, and she just goes out to the community and sees what the needs are in that community, and then she tries to design her program what's based best needs, and she utilizes her support...

Question 388-20(1): Primary Care Teams
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 35)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are -- you know, there's the CEO, the territorial medical director. There is a vacancy that's being covered. How there are -- members of physicians that sit on the primary care reform team. So how and who wasn't informed, I can't -- like, I can't specify how that communication went to the physicians and how the information was released or how it was reported to them that it was going to be released at this time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 398-20(1): Physician Workforce Plan
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 35)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, within the primary care reform, you know, whatever tools that they had, whether it be the physician work plan, you know, I can't speak to exactly what parts or which sections or -- that are being used. But what I'm being -- you know, being advised of is that this plan is being integrated and parts of it that meet the needs of primary care reform. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 388-20(1): Primary Care Teams
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 35)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, whether I believe it is or I don't believe it is, I think what the Member -- what I would like to provide so that the Members of this House and the Member for Yellowknife North wants, I think is getting to the bottom is are these -- you know, these -- like, these teams going to be what needs to happen. We don't know right now. So what is happening is the framework is currently being developed to provide clear direction and performance benchmarks for this initiative. And these are going to be completed by 2025 but the -- in the -- what was there, you know...

Question 398-20(1): Physician Workforce Plan
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 35)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned that there are many documents that are drafted within the health and social services as we move forward, this document was created in 2020. It was used at the time and the people in the territory may be aware that we used to have a physician-centered care model in the territory. The rest of Canada, and everybody knows -- and especially in the Northwest Territories -- we want a wholistic model for the Northwest Territories. And so, you know, whether or not this report, there are many reports within the health and social services that try to...