Député de Hay River Nord

Premier ministre
Ministre de l’Exécutif et des Affaires autochtones

R.J. Simpson a été élu à la 20e Assemblée, représentant la circonscription de Hay River Nord. Le 7 décembre 2023, M. Simpson a été élu premier ministre de la 20e Assemblée législative des Territoires du Nord-Ouest.

M. Simpson a été élu par acclamation à la 19e Assemblée législative et élu pour la première fois à la 18e Assemblée en 2015.

M. Simpson a été élu pour la première fois à la 18e Assemblée législative en 2015. M. Simpson a été président adjoint de la 18e Assemblée législative, vice-président du Comité permanent des opérations gouvernementales et président du Comité spécial sur les questions de transition. M. Simpson a également siégé au Comité permanent des priorités et de la planification, de même qu’au Comité permanent du développement économique et de l’environnement.

M. Simpson a habité à Hay River toute sa vie. Après avoir obtenu son diplôme d’études secondaires à l’école secondaire Diamond Jenness en 1998, il a décroché un baccalauréat ès arts à l’Université MacEwan et un diplôme en droit à la faculté de droit de l’Université de l’Alberta.

M. Simpson a précédemment travaillé pour le gouvernement du Canada, la Northern Transportation Company limitée, la section locale no 51 des Métis, et Maskwa Engineering.

Pendant ses études en droit, M. Simpson a été président de l’association des étudiants en droit autochtones. Il a également siégé au conseil d’administration du Centre d’amitié Soaring Eagle, à Hay River, et donne de son temps au projet d’éducation Canada-Ghana.

Committees

R.J. Simpson
Hay River Nord
Bureau

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Boîte
1320
Bureau de circonscription

62, promenade Woodland, bureau 104
Hay River Nord NT X0E 1G1
Canada

Ministre
Premier ministre des Territoires du Nord-Ouest, Ministère de l’Exécutif et des Affaires autochtones, Ministre de la Justice

Déclarations dans les débats

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 48)

I'll hand it to the deputy minister.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 48)

Thank you. So the senior envoy is not a new person. It's the same person who is in a different role. We have an associate deputy minister with Housing NWT and an associate deputy minister with the health care system sustainability unit. And those are the senior positions that have been recently added. Although I'll note that the associate deputy minister position already existed in Housing NWT. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 48)

Thank you. And there's a lot to unpack here so I'll start with the -- you know, the homelessness piece and why it's here. And as I mentioned, it was about integrating services. And so we have integrated service delivery and we have basically the homelessness file, and we were attempting to -- we are attempting to advance integrated service delivery through working on the homelessness file. And the reason it's -- this integrated service delivery and homelessness are in EIA is because integrated service delivery was formerly under the Department of Justice, and it's tough to get people to listen...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 48)

Yes, thank you very much. And so, you know, we do have access to some of the same academic advice that that advisory council is receiving. We are looking at developing a -- sort of a public basic policy around defence. I mean, we're not tasked with national defence, but it's clearly being put -- thrust in the spotlight and we need to be able to deal with it, so we're looking at how do we best do that in a very structured manner and what are the interests of our jurisdiction in that world. And also, you know, the Yukon, they do have their council, but we have the Joint Task Force North...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 48)

The position of principal secretary is currently vacant, and as we move forward with this new arrangement, we will see how things go and what the future holds. I can't say one way or another what the future of the principal secretary position is. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 48)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So in the past, there have been attempts at integrating services in the GNWT, and they haven't been successful, and so a few years ago the GNWT went out and they worked with a contractor to look at those efforts and a path forward, and what the recommendation was and, you know, was -- I think it was widely accepted among those in government who were working on this initiative as well was that instead of trying to integrate everything at once, well, they start with a specific area and build from there. And so homelessness was that area. You know, at the time it was a, you...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 48)

Thank you. And so, you know, I'm -- we're very willing to and we do engage those types of services as and when required in Ottawa, and I understand what the Member is saying that, you know, a lot of the work in Ottawa -- to get things done in Ottawa, sometimes you need to go out for supper with people, you need to, you know, hang out in the crowd and hear what people are talking about and get insight into, you know, what Ministers' offices you need to talk or what person you need to contact or where the money might be. And so that type of work, you know, we do work with folks in Ottawa to get...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 48)

Thank you. So we have a number of different tables. I mean, I don't know if the Member wants me to get into each one and talk about where things are at but there's been progress on, you know, moving towards AIPs, moving towards finalized agreements. We do send -- and just so the public is aware, we do send the Members quarterly updates that really detail where things are at with those tables, and I'm happy to provide some in-camera briefings as well if committee would wish on these. But, you know, here at the table, it's really hard to sort of in broad terms talk about where we are with all of...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 48)

Thank you. And just to be clear, there is some structural change. It's not an overhaul but we did bring the GSOs into this division. You know, we created this division. We brought the integrated case management team from justice into this division. So we are slowly and incrementally doing the work that the Member is talking about. And I appreciate that his zeal for this, you know, I -- it features prominently in the mandate because I recognize the importance of integrating services and making things easier for residents. We do actually have an MOU with Service Canada and the GSOs can provide...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 48)

Thank you. Maybe I could get the deputy minister to chime in on that one. Thank you.