R.J. Simpson

Member Hay River North

Premier
Minister of Executive and Indigenous Affairs
Minister of Housing

 

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

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's Office
Email
Email

Statements in Debates

Minister’s Statement 327-19(2): Aurora College Board of Governors
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 146)

Mr. Speaker, at long last, it gives me great pleasure to announce that the members of the new Aurora College Board of Governors have been selected. I would like to welcome and congratulate the following individuals on their appointments:

Joseph Handley of Yellowknife;

Lorraine Tordiff of Fort Smith;

Lucy Kuptana of Tuktoyaktuk;

Rebecca Plotner of Yellowknife;

Tom Colosimo of Hay River;

Jack Rowe of Hay River;

David Hurley of Yellowknife;

Kevin Antoniak of Fort Smith;

Stephanie IrlbacherFox of Yellowknife;

Richard Boudreault of Quebec;

Student member, Cayla Gillis;

Instructional staff member, Wanda...

Bill 75: Council of Women and Gender Diversity Act
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 146)

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Wednesday, March 8th, 2023, I will present Bill 75, Council of Women and Gender Diversity Act, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 1434-19(2): Illicit Drug Use Prevention and Enforcement
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 146)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So every time there's an incident anywhere in Canada not every time but when there are incidents in Canada that result in calls for additional RCMP training, it's often happened that that training then becomes mandatory for RCMP officers across the territory or across Canada. So there's actually quite a bit of training that officers are required to do to the point that it affects resourcing levels because we often have so many officers out taking training. So that is from the federal side. And the federal government is responsible for the operations of the RCMP. We do...

Question 1434-19(2): Illicit Drug Use Prevention and Enforcement
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 146)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Justice sits on the I believe it's the problematic substance use committee with the Department of Health and Social Services to look at these exact issues that the Member is talking about. The Minister of health has also met with the commanding officer of the RCMP to begin discussions on how they can explore other options for enforcement and prevention in communities. So there is a number of ways that the departments that the RCMP and the department of health are collaborating, along with the Department of Justice. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 145)

Yes, absolutely. And as I travel around the territory to the different regions, I speak to the career development officers and they talk about their ontheground engagement with industry and with Indigenous governments as well. Thank you.

Question 1423-19(2): Nunakput Court Travel
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 145)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will make sure that we convey the entirety of this conversation to the courts. We'll provide them with the transcript, and we can have a discussion with them. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 145)

Thank you. And as the Member knows or as the Member stated, that I can't make that commitment obviously on behalf of the college but it is on the record. It's on the record from this conversation and many letters and many other discussions we've had in the House. So the position of the Member and Fort Smith leadership is well known. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 145)

I'll hand it to Mr. Saturnino.

Minister’s Statement 324-19(2): Child Support Recalculation Service Launch
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 145)

Mr. Speaker, families encounter the family law system in some of life's most difficult moments, and the Government of the Northwest Territories is committed to improving our family law processes to ensure we support families through these hard times. Today I am pleased to announce the launch of the NWT Child Support Recalculation Service.

This new service can, in eligible circumstances, recalculate child support amounts on an annual basis based on the parent’s income without having to go through the courts. This service is intended to reduce the time, expense, and stress that can result from...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 145)

Thank you. So if someone needs to or wants to take their apprenticeship courses and they're offered at the college, we will support them to go to the college. If they would like to take a program that's not offered by the college, then we'll support them to go elsewhere. But, you know, if they would just prefer to go to somewhere in Alberta for a program that is being offered at the college, we unless there is a I mean, there may be exceptions but generally the rule is that if a program is offered at the college, we support them to go to the college only. Thank you.