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 268-20(1): Indigenous Child Welfare Settlement
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 23)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I stated, this was a decision by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, which I have no influence over. It ended up with an agreement, agreed to by the Government of Canada, and so I have no ability to open up that agreement, which was the result of, you know, 16 years essentially of litigation. So, no, unfortunately the answer is no, as far as I know. Thank you.

Bill 2: Missing Persons Act, Carried
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 23)

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, that Bill 2, Missing Persons Act, be read for a third time. And, Mr. Speaker, I request a recorded vote. Thank you.

Committee Motion 23-20(1): Committee Report 2-20(1) – Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act – Government Response, Carried
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 22)

Yes.

Motion 31-20(1): Cross-Border Crime Reduction Forum, Carried
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 22)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Members for their impassioned statements. I, as well, have spoken about this many times in the House, the impact of drugs. I didn't hear a lot of comments about the actual motion and the potential efficacy of this motion and so as a Cabinet, we are going to abstain so that we can actually take this back, look at the substance of the motion, look at how it might play out in the real world, and then provide a response back in 120 days. Thank you.

Question 256-20(1): Nutrition North Program
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 22)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will have to get back to the Member on if there's been any official level discussions on this. Thank you.

Question 256-20(1): Nutrition North Program
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 22)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll see what I can dig up from the last Assembly and provide it to the Member. Thank you.

Question 254-20(1): High Cost of Food in Northwest Territories
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 22)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We're in the process of assessing all of the strategies that we have here in the Northwest Territories. We have a number of them. Some of them sit on shelves, and they can be very labour intensive to produce and sometimes they're forgotten about. So we are looking at ways to limit the number of strategies we have and be more strategic with that, and I will get back to the Member with an answer to his question. Thank you.

Question 254-20(1): High Cost of Food in Northwest Territories
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 22)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will have to get back to the Member with that information. That could have occurred in the last government, but I don't have that information at my fingertips. Thank you.

Committee Motion 23-20(1): Committee Report 2-20(1) – Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act – Government Response, Carried
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 22)

With me today, I have Brad Patzer, assistant deputy minister with the Department of Justice. Thank you.

Committee Motion 23-20(1): Committee Report 2-20(1) – Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act – Government Response, Carried
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 22)

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am here to present Bill 2, Missing Persons Act.

Bill 2 proposes new legislation that will provide additional tools to assist police in investigating reports of missing persons.

The Government of the Northwest Territories committed to developing this legislation in response to Call for Justice 5.8 from the National Inquiry of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

In missing persons cases where there is no evidence of criminal activity, investigations can be slowed or completely halted. Missing persons laws in other jurisdictions across Canada allow police...