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 85)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So as I think we released earlier -- oh, I can't remember -- the document that was released, this was the -- kind of the guide of how the framework was being designed. And so at this point, I would have to let the Member know that once the framework is completed and I am briefed, and then we go through the processes, I will be able to let the Member know more on what that framework is entitled. But from the comments that I've had, and, you know, and this House has brought up many times on team-based care and how people are being attached. There will be a document...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 85)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, individuals can make complaints to the Department of Health and Social Services and we would redirect the appropriate jurisdiction, or they can reach out directly to the jurisdiction where the individual is licensed. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 85)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And as I have mentioned many times in this House, we have the data. In order to prioritize this, you know, we would need extra staff to keep up to the amount of data that we have to manually track and submit. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 85)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 85)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what we mandate, the coding to CIHI is inpatient surgical and day procedures; however, we do have the data for the emergency room. It's, you know, that they've had to prioritize those mandated areas that they submit. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 84)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the paramedics that work currently in our facilities when there is -- you know, if there is a critical level of staffing, so if they are to work in, say, emergency to support the emergency department, they will work within the guidelines and the policies that are created based on their scope of practice and what they're registered and what their training is. And that's how they would recruit that level of paramedic.

If they're working in the health centre, it's the same. There's guidelines and policies that they have to work with under. And the paramedics...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 84)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as the Member has stated, you know, the work that is going to happen over the next couple of years is to analyze if it's possible for -- and how we could implement paramedics into supporting the current model as we need more -- we need to increase the capacity in the health centre. But as for the question, no, NTHSSA does not -- they're not going to be going out of the health centre. Their role would be in the health centre facility. And based on, you know, the outcome of the work that's going to happen over the assessment, there are different levels of...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 84)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned that -- you know, within the emergency department when they've tried in areas of time where they're critically low, that means that they haven't been able to confirm casuals, people are on vacation, there's no -- last case, you know, resort would be agency, and sometimes when we do have paramedics that -- you know, that was when they would bring them in to just assist with this area. However, this is not a model that's been in our system before, so we don't have an overarching model of paramedics in our system. And so where we're starting is...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 84)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am more than committed to, you know, having these discussions with the Member and with the Tlicho on being able to better analyze the data that's for the residents in the Tlicho and what the need is and, you know, to have a discussion on what the -- where and what can happen with the residents of the people in the Tlicho and work with their government. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 84)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. For that level of detail, I would have to go back to the TCSA for that detail. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.