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 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...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 22)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There haven't been formal conversations between myself and Indigenous leaders, but food security is obviously an issue across the North. At the Council of Leaders, there is very much an interest in the economy which, as was stated before, a good income goes a long way to ensuring food security, and so that's part of the interest in that area. But I look forward to having further conversations with Indigenous leaders on this. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 22)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So the Nutrition North is, of course, a federal program and they are currently undergoing an internal review, and so I am not aware of any changes that they may be making as a result of that review, but I look forward to the results. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 22)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Once again, I'll have to get back to the Member on that. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 22)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The GNWT has a number of food security programs that support Indigenous governments to help their members go out on the land. Through the antipoverty fund, funds are distributed that go to food security programs often, often by Indigenous governments. The GNWT provides funding to schools, education bodies, to provide meals in the schools. I can provide the Member with a full list of all of our food security initiatives as well as the associated funding amounts, but I don't have that on hand right now. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 22)

Mr. Speaker, today marks the 80th Anniversary of DDay. The landing at Normandy was a turning point of the Second World War. As Premier, and as a Canadian, I honour the sacrifice of all those who served in this war, the ultimate sacrifice of all those who lost their lives in the conflict, and the memory of the veterans who have passed on in the years since. While I was not able to join the Canadian delegation for the commemoration ceremony taking place at Juno Beach today, I am grateful for the efforts of all participating nations to ensure the lessons learned through the last Great War, and...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 21)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Ultimately, I would like to see an expansion of the community safety officer program. I can't comment on where such a program might be most effective. Right now it is being piloted in Fort Liard. And the program will be evaluated, and that evaluation will inform the types of communities where such a program would be the most effective. So we want to make sure we're getting the best bang for our buck. And so maybe it is a small community type of program, maybe it's for regional centres, it could be for Yellowknife. So that remains to be seen, but we are continuously...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 21)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, you know, we see RCMP around the community. We see them around town out on patrol. They're responding to calls. And that's what they do. They don't necessarily have the time to go out and conduct investigations, to do surveillance, to focus on some of these drugrelated issues because they are out doing their daytoday work. And so the crime reduction unit is able to work in those areas where the other constables just don't have the time to do it and aren't mandated to do that type of work. So they will be focusing on drugs, bootlegging, which often go hand in hand...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 21)

Mr. Speaker, can you feel it, Mr. Speaker? Can you feel the excitement in the air? The NWT Track and Field Championships are back after five long years. And, Mr. Speaker, I am excited. I'm excited for the youth who have missed out on this event five years in a row. I was lucky enough to participate in many track and field events in Hay River, and they're some of the best memories that I have.

I'm also excited for the community. The track and field championships brings over 900 athletes into Hay River as well as hundreds of volunteers, parents, and chaperones. Mr. Speaker, the community swells...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 21)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So the motion calls for block land transfers. I believe what was intended was bulk land transfers. The block land transfers were the historical process of the transfer of administration of lands from the Government of Canada to the Government of the Northwest Territories. And so perhaps the Member would like to amend the seven instances in the motion that say "block" and change them to "bulk" so that it's accurate for they're going for, if that's what they are going for. But regardless, the government will be abstaining from this vote and will be providing a response...