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 93-18(3): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of Bill 31: Northwest Territories 911 Act – Response within 120 Days, Carried
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 67)

Thank you. Minister, do you have witnesses you wish to bring into the Chamber?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 67)

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Does committee agree?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 67)

Thank you, committee. Does committee agree that this concludes our consideration of Tabled Document 322-18(3), Main Estimates 2019-2020?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 67)

Thank you. Mr. O'Reilly.

Committee Motion 93-18(3): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of Bill 31: Northwest Territories 911 Act – Response within 120 Days, Carried
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 67)

Thank you, Minister. At this point, we are going to call a brief recess so we can distribute the bill to Members, so we will reconvene in about five minutes. Thank you.

---SHORT RECESS

Question 668-18(3): Accessing Federal Funding for Major Infrastructure
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 67)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, we have set the table, then we ate all the food. There is going to be nothing left for the next Assembly. So just so we know what is going on, would the Minister be able to provide us with a list of projections, cost projections, for these future projects over the next five or 10 years, just so we have an idea so that, you know, when people are considering entering politics next year, they know what they are in for? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 67)

Thank you, committee. There is an information item on the last page. Rather, that was part of that last item, so let's return to the departmental summary on page 5. Any final comments or questions? Seeing none, I will call the total. Legislative Assembly, total department, $22,443,000. Does committee agree?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 67)

Thank you, committee. Please turn to the next activity on page 11, Office of the Chief Electoral Officer. Comments or questions? Seeing none, I will call this activity. Legislative Assembly, Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, operations expenditures summary, activity total, $1,655,000. Does committee agree?

Committee Motion 93-18(3): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of Bill 31: Northwest Territories 911 Act – Response within 120 Days, Carried
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 67)

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

Question 668-18(3): Accessing Federal Funding for Major Infrastructure
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 67)

I appreciate that answer. I know that, you know, the feds aren't going to come out right and say that they can commit right at the beginning here, but I am a little bit concerned because, as we are going through this budget here, our last budget, I see what the debt limit is. I see where we are at, and we are pretty much maxed out. It was about a month ago in the south the Minister said he had initiated some talks with the federal Finance Minister about increasing our borrowing limit and about possibly talking about territorial formula financing, and I know that the Minister hasn't had any...