Lesa Semmler

Member Inuvik Twin Lakes

Minister of Health and Social Services

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

Oral Question 1085-19(2): Dempster Highway
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 112)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll correct myself. Maybe they're not that wonderful. But like I said, if you drive the Dempster Highway, even that section from Behchoko to Yellowknife is a lot nicer than the section from the corner to the border.

Will the Minister also mention that when in these discussions to include improvements being made to these bridges.

As I mentioned in my member's statement, the bridge that you first cross when you hit the Dempster Highway is a single lane wooden bridge. And this limits what can go up and down that highway. And if we were able to get the federal dollars to...

Oral Question 1085-19(2): Dempster Highway
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 112)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions, like I said in my Member's statement, are for the Minister of Infrastructure.

The 468kilometre section of the Dempster Highway is currently the area I'm talking about in the Yukon. Can the Minister provide an update if there's been any discussions with the Yukon government about improving the Dempster Highway in particular to that section of the highway. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Recorded Vote
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 111)

In favour.

Question 1075-19(2): Knowledge of Joint Venture and Indigenous Government
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 111)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if this is a new policy or process that we are going to be moving money around to Crown corporations so we don't have to follow government procurement, can you provide me or this House with the copy of how that's done so that maybe all the other aboriginal groups can negotiate in the same way? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 1075-19(2): Knowledge of Joint Venture and Indigenous Government
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 111)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Infrastructure and also the Minister of Northwest Territories Power Corporation.

Can the Minister explain to me what policy process was used to negotiate the fivekilometre access road to the wind project, which was awarded to a consortium led by an Alberta company? Thank you.

Question 1068-19(2): Inuvik Mike Zubko Airport Expansion Project
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 111)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I understand that this is a fiveyear project, but this is a timesensitive section that needs to be done so that other layers can be put on later on. What is holding up this section of the project to put the lift down so that we're protecting the permafrost? Why can't we go ahead with this?

Question 1068-19(2): Inuvik Mike Zubko Airport Expansion Project
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 111)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As one of the MLAs from the Beaufort Delta that is present here today on our last sitting day and is able to ask questions to the Minister in this House, I will continue my questions to the Minister of Infrastructure as this project is one of the most important infrastructure projects that's happening in our regions.

Can the Minister update this House on the decision her department has with regard to the Inuvik Airport Runway Extension Project and if the time sensitive part of the project will occur this year as this employs a local contractor and this Cabinet has said...

Recorded Vote
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 111)

In favour.

Committee Motion 220-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development report on the Child and Family Services Act – Lifting NWT Children, Youth and Families: An All of Territory Approach to Keeping Families Together – Overrepresentation of Indigen
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 111)

You know, like I said, this is a crisis. There are 98 percent of children in care. They are Indigenous. We need a wholeofgovernment approach to change this. This hasn't changed since residential school. Do I have to speak to the recommendations from the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Inquiry? Do I have to repeat what the TRC says? This is the crisis. This is an ongoing crisis. And so yes, I support this motion. And I think everyone in this House should support this motion. Not blaming anyone in this House that they created this. It's just a crisis and we need to come together as a government...

Committee Motion 220-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development report on the Child and Family Services Act – Lifting NWT Children, Youth and Families: An All of Territory Approach to Keeping Families Together – Overrepresentation of Indigen
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 111)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Are you able to hear me? Okay, thank you.

First of all, yesterday I had made comments to the opening or to general comments, and my comments didn't show up for the record. So what I wanted to say first was that I want to thank every person that spent the time providing the information to our committee for this report. It was a difficult some of the information that we received was very difficult. We were able to hear from families affected. We were able hear from youth in care. We heard back from many different other organizations. And so I'm very grateful for all the...