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

Committees

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
Email
Minister of Health and Social Services

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 21)

Mr. Speaker, today I want to congratulate the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation on 40 years since signing this monumental land claim agreement. I want to thank the current chair of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, Duane Smith, and the board of directors on the work that they do to lead this organization.

I want to take this time to honour the many people who have worked together to make this agreement a reality 40 years ago today. Many of the signatories to the Inuvialuit Final Agreement have now passed on, but their families live on and thrive. The Inuvialuit people continue to be stewards...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 21)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, before we even had electronic medical records, our patients traveled so, like I say again, if this is a specific instance because if it is and if there are many people that are going to appointments, they are not complaining through my office so maybe they're going through the Office of Client Experience and that's where I would tell these clients to also go. I would encourage any MLAs to encourage their constituents to go through the Office of Client Experience. This way we can document what the issues are and then we can rectify them if this is a bigger...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 21)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when patients are traveling down to Alberta, depending, I mean, wherever they are coming from, there's different systems that we use and yes, I've mentioned it many times in this House, that the systems that we use don't talk with Alberta systems and that is why our it is in the business plan, and that we are updating our EMR, our electronic medical records, in the health system. One of those things is to, hopefully, to make sure that it does have the opportunity to connect with Alberta. What they do currently, there are many different ways that they do...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 21)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this funding is for two years, and then we will  as part of the business plan, we'll continue to move forward into the 20262027 business planning cycle for  you know, for future funds. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 21)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as aftercare and transitional housing is not currently being offered in the Northwest Territories right now and it hasn't been offered in Yellowknife, we don't exactly have  we don't know how many until we start to be able to track. We do know how many people go out for treatment. We do know that not all those people going out for treatment that are returning back need somewhere to live, but there are those that may. So this is  will  we don't have those numbers at this time. Thank you.

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

We don't have the actuals per cost. We have the contract base facility what the like, what they charge per person going to the five facilities that we have in the contract. And we also have the it's the flights and accommodations. So where they're coming from in the territory to the facility base, whether or not they need, you know, an escort to go with them to it ranges, so there's not one cost. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, right now we have longterm care facilities. And I know that the Member is aware of the one in Hay River. We have Yellowknife. We have new beds opening up in Yellowknife. We have a longterm care in the Beaufort Delta region, Fort Smith, and the Dehcho, the Sahtu. Currently, there are expansions going on into some of those facilities. And I hear the Member that, you know, the people want to stay home. I know I hear it that, you know, closer to home, closer to the language, closer to their loved ones, closer to but, you know, at this time, like, the capacity to...

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

Thank you. At this time, there's no I mean, the program is set to go live September 1st, Mr. Chair. And next month, they'll be opening up the process for people to start applying through the program. And then, you know, those questions that are out there that what their eligibility, what the questions, how much, you know, it might cost individual members, that's why we're opening up the application process earlier on. But as this time, the program is going to change because if it doesn't, then there's 2,200 people that are still in the Northwest Territories that are not getting any services...

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

Thank you. For that detail, I will let the ADM fill that information in.

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

Thank you. And I hear the Member. And, you know, and this is why I've said I've I've even raised it with my own department to make sure that we're committing to reviewing and taking feedback. And, you know, and if we're going to look as a government as to what we're going to use, that doesn't just fall on my department. And, you know, that's the thing is I don't want to be using something that's different than what housing is using, than what income support is using, and all of our programs that we provide services. And so if there's that's a bigger discussion than this and so at this time...