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

Committee Motion 242-19(2): Committee Report 29-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the Languages Commissioner for the Northwest Territories Annual Report 2020-2021 – Government Response to Recommendations, Ca
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 115)

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? All those abstaining?

Carried

The motion is carried.

Thank you, committee. Do you agree that you have concluded consideration of Committee Report 2919(2), Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the Languages Commissioner for the Northwest Territories Annual Report 20202021,.

Member’s Statement 1112-19(2): Sexual Violence Awareness Month and Supreme Court of Canada Ruling
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 115)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today is the last day of the Sexual Violence Awareness Month in Canada, and I recognize and pay tribute to all the victims of sexual violence. We must raise awareness of the devastating impacts sexual violence has on a person, their family, and their community.

Mr. Speaker, every day in the territory someone is the victim of sexual violence. Sexual violence is verbal harassment, sexual exploitation, sexual assault, and rape. The Northwest Territories has the second highest rate of sexual assault in Canada. This is 7.3 times higher than the national rate, Mr...

Committee Motion 241-19(2): Committee Report 29-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the Languages Commissioner for the Northwest Territories Annual Report 2020-2021 – Public Bodies’ Response to Recommendatio
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 115)

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? All those abstaining. The motion is carried.

Carried

Mr. Johnson.

Committee Motion 240-19(2): Committee Report 29-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the Languages Commissioner for the Northwest Territories Annual Report 2020-2021 – Requests for Information from Public Bodie
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 115)

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? All those abstaining. The motion is carried.

Carried

Mr. Johnson.

Committee Motion 239-19(2): Committee Report 29-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the Languages Commissioner for the Northwest Territories Annual Report 2020-2021 – Clarification of Languages Commissioner’
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 115)

Thank you. To the motion?

Committee Report 29-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the Languages Commissioner for the Northwest Territories Annual Report 2020-2021
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 115)

I now call Committee of the Whole back to order.

Committee, we've agreed to consider Committee Report 2919(2), Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of Languages Commissioner for the Northwest Territories Annual Report 20202021. I will go to the chair of the Standing Committee on Government Operations for any opening comments. Member for Yellowknife North.

Committee Report 29-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the Languages Commissioner for the Northwest Territories Annual Report 2020-2021
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 115)

Does committee agree?

Oral Question 1114-19(2): Sexual Violence
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 115)

Thank you, Minister, and thank you for your definition. And I you know, I've read there are three cases, and there were some hallucinogens that were the cause of the three cases. But the my concern is is that, you know, like I said, if it is if is being used, then then that's my concern, against the women and girls of this territory.

So will the Minister discuss some of the examples because there were some examples described by the Supreme Court judge that did the ruling, Kasirer, that they provided in their ruling with the federal minister. So will this will our Minister ensure that they...

Committee Report 27-19(2): Special Committee on Reconciliation Indigenous Affairs Interim Report: What We Heard About the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Negotiating Agreements
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 114)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I hope I'm the last to speak because I want to close this up by thanking the committee again for the work that we have done as this is an interim report. We still have many Indigenous governments that we want to hear from. So hopefully this discussion in the Committee of the Whole today, and even some of the questions that are being asked in here, is going to stem up some of that conversation, especially with our Indigenous leaders, and we would love to hear from them on these topics.

And so I want to make sure that all of us know that this report has been tabled and it is...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 114)

In favour.