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 195-18(3): Ground Ambulance and Highway Rescue Services
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 19)

The Minister was questioned on this at the recent NWT Association of Communities meeting in Hay River. She admitted that the funding that's currently provided is inadequate, and it's too late, I guess, going forward to change it for 2018-2019. What would the Minister suggest is adequate funding?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 19)

Thank you, Minister. I will allow the Member to pursue this line of questioning. Mr. Thompson.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 19)

Thank you. Ms. Green.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 19)

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Mr. Testart.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 19)

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Thompson.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 19)

Thank you. Minister.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 19)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just have something I would like to clear up. Following up with Mr. O'Reilly's line of questioning, non-insured health benefits and the Metis health benefits, it is my understanding that, while they are almost identical, there are differences between the two when it comes to what is covered, things like certain dental procedures. Am I correct in this assumption? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 19)

Thank you. Minister.

Committee Motion 28-18(3): Committee Report 5-18(3): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of Bill 1: Western Canada Lottery Act - Funding Policy for Disbursement of Lottery Funding, Carried
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 19)

Thank you. Mr. O'Reilly.

Question 195-18(3): Ground Ambulance and Highway Rescue Services
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 19)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to return to an issue that I brought up many, many times in this House: ground ambulance and highway rescue services. As we all know by now, the responsibility for the provision of these services is in a regulatory grey zone. Essentially, no one has been assigned responsibility. That's why we hear stories about people being injured in vehicle accidents who get transported to the nursing station on a quad.

When you consider that 27 communities, last I heard, don't have any type of ground ambulance and that the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk highway recently...