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

Question 1051-19(2): Child Care Contribution Agreements
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 109)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, we would never expect anyone to sign a contract that they haven't seen.

There's been a number of meetings between ECE officials and childcare providers, whether that's day home or childcare centres, and there has been a number of documents provided to childcare providers, and those documents contain all of the information that is contained in the actual contribution agreement. It's a contribution agreement, not a contract. So I just wanted to clarify that as well because childcare providers can have contracts with parents, but they would have a contribution...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 109)

Thank you, and the Member is correct. He has heard about this many times before. This is in our original mandate, and I have been bringing it up time and time again.

This is separating people who are essentially out of the workforce, people who don't expect to go back into the workforce, from people who are, you know, in and out of the workforce. So income assistance has different types of clients. Some of those clients are ablebody people who are in between jobs who have fallen on hard times and who just need some assistance, and they will be on income support for a short amount of time...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 109)

Thank you. I don't think we're going to be doing that at this time. We've seen a reduction in our travel budgets as well as our, you know, contract services are tight, and it is difficult to you know, we have to make some difficult choices. So we have many avenues where we work with Indigenous governments and communities. And you know, we're going to continue to do that in the best way possible. But at this time, I can't commit to something like that. Thank you.

Recorded Vote
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 108)

For.

Recorded Vote
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 108)

In favour.

Recorded Vote
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 108)

For.

Recorded Vote
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 108)

In favour.

Bill 47: An Act to Amend the Employment Standards Act, No. 2, Carried
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 108)

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 47, An Act to Amend the Employment Standards Act, No. 2, be read for the second time.

This bill amends the Employment Standards Act to create a new statutory holiday which will fall on September 30th each year to be known as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This bill also includes consequential amendments to the Interpretation Act and the public service holidays order made under the Public Service Act. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Tabled Document 602-19(2): Follow-up letter for Oral Question 995-19(2): Maintenance Enforcement
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 108)

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following three documents:

Plain Language Summary for Bill 47: An Act to Amend the Employment Standards Act, No. 2; Followup Letter for Oral Question 97419(2): Policing; and, Followup Letter for Oral Question 99519(2): Maintenance Enforcement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 1042-19(2): Implementation of Federal Childcare Subsidy
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 108)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And this has been raised a number of times. And no, we are not going to be exploring those avenues. There has been a desire from some people to have us subsidize more than just licensed centres, so unlicensed centres or family members, but unfortunately we can't be everything to everyone and we have to pick our lane. And so what we're focusing on is early licensed early learning childcare spaces. Thank you.