R.J. Simpson

Member Hay River North

Premier
Minister of Executive and Indigenous Affairs

R.J. Simpson was elected to the 20th Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly, representing the constituency of Hay River North. On December 7th, 2023, Mr. Simpson was elected Premier of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Simpson was formerly acclaimed to the 19th Legislative Assembly and first elected into the 18th Assembly in 2015.

Mr. Simpson was Deputy Speaker of the 18th Assembly, Deputy Chair of the Standing Committee on Government Operations, and the Chair of the Special Committee on Transition Matters. Mr. Simpson was also a member of the Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning and the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment.

Mr. Simpson is a lifelong resident of Hay River After graduating from Diamond Jenness Secondary School in 1998 Mr. Simpson went on to obtain a Bachelor of Arts from MacEwan University and a law degree from the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Law.

Mr. Simpson has previously worked with the Government of Canada, Northern Transportation Company Ltd, Métis Nation Local 51, and Maskwa Engineering.

While at law school, Mr. Simpson was the President of the Aboriginal Law Students’ Association. He has also served on the board of the Soaring Eagle Friendship Centre in Hay River and volunteered with the Canada-Ghana Education Project.

Hay River North Electoral District

Committees

R.J. Simpson
Hay River North
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Email
Phone
867-767-9141
Extension
11120
Constituency Office

62, promenade Woodland, bureau 104
Hay River Nord NT X0E 1G1
Canada

Phone
867-874-6301
Minister
Email
Email
Premier of the Northwest Territories, Minister of Executive and Indigenous Affairs, Minister of Justice, Government House Leader

Statements in Debates

Committee Motion 45-18(2): Committee Report 4-18(2), Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2014-2015 Public Accounts – Plain Language Reporting on Public Accounts, Carried
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 42)

Question has been called.

---Carried

Mr. Nakimayak.

Committee Motion 40-18(2): Committee Report 4-18(2), Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2014-2015 Public Accounts – Timing for Provision of Public Accounts, Carried
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 42)

Thank you, Mr. Testart. There is a motion on the floor. To the motion.

Question 452-18(2): Economic Growth through Improved Immigration Outcomes
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 42)

We always talk about diversifying our economy. Other jurisdictions, like Manitoba, have welcomed farmers and agricultural workers to their province to fill the gaps they have. What is the department doing to align our current economic diversification strategies, like with agricultural, with tourism, hospitality, the fisheries? What are they doing specifically to attract immigrants who can fill those gaps? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Committee Motion 45-18(2): Committee Report 4-18(2), Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2014-2015 Public Accounts – Plain Language Reporting on Public Accounts, Carried
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 42)

Thank you for that comment, Mr. Testart. We are discussing a committee report. This is not question period. There is no obligation for the Minister to respond. But if the Minister would voluntarily like to respond to that, I will allow him. If not, that's fine. So, Minister Sebert?

Committee Motion 39-18(2): Committee Report 3-18(2), Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2014-2015 Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission Annual Report – Response to Report within 120 Days, Carried
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 42)

Thank you, Mr. Testart. Mr. O'Reilly.

Question 447-18(2): A New Day Men’s Healing Program
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 41)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is also my understanding that there are referrals from probation, from parole, from the Wellness Court to take A New Day. So, again, I'd like the Minister to maybe read his briefing notes again on this topic.

My final question is in July the Minister wrote a letter to me in response to questions I had earlier on the program. In that letter it said, "The Department of Justice is in the process of determining what options are available to continue the men's program should the evaluation find it to be ineffective." This is Tabled Document 127-18(2). So in the four months...

Question 447-18(2): A New Day Men’s Healing Program
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 41)

I believe the Minister said A New Day is not accessible to those in remand. It's my understanding that twice a month A New Day goes to remand and provides counselling sessions for inmates. So am I wrong or is the Minister misinformed?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 41)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also want to welcome the staff of A New Day, as well as everyone here from the NWTAC, including Deputy Mayor Constituent Donna Lee Jungkind, as well as Enterprise Mayor Craig McMaster. Welcome, we're happy to have you.

Motion 27-18(2): “A New Day” Men’s Healing Program
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 41)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I support this motion. The government is mandated to provide a men's healing program, and morally there is no question that we should be. Whether the funding for A New Day continues beyond next month is dependent as the Minister says, upon the findings of a third party evaluation.

Mr. Speaker, I understand that we are in difficult financial times, and I'm not against cutting costs, nor am I against ensuring that the programs we fund are effective, but I am worried that the government may just see this as a cost saving opportunity. I might not even advocate for the...

Question 447-18(2): A New Day Men’s Healing Program
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 41)

I recommend that the Minister checks his facts on that. I'd also like to ask the Minister, being our Attorney General, he's aware of the Gladue decision of the Supreme Court, which says that, in sentencing, courts must look at culturally-appropriate sanctions for offences when it comes to Aboriginal offenders. Seeing as A New Day is the only program really aimed at men when it comes to issues with domestic violence, if the government doesn't continue this program how is it living up to its obligations to provide these sort of programs for the judiciary so the judiciary can live up to the...