Lesa Semmler

Member Inuvik Twin Lakes

Minister of Health and Social Services

Lesa Semmler currently serves as the Member representing Inuvik Twin Lakes in the 20th Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly, having been re-elected to the position. Born in Yellowknife, NT, and raised in Inuvik, where she still resides, Ms. Semmler has deep roots in the Northwest Territories. 

A Registered Nurse, Ms. Semmler graduated from the Aurora College Northern Nursing Program in 2000 and earned her Community Health Nurse Certification from the Canadian Nurses Association in 2008. With 15 years of frontline nursing experience at the Inuvik Regional Hospital, she focused on Acute Care, Homecare, and Public Health. Her career also included roles as the Manager of Acute Care Services and eventually the Regional Manager of Acute Care Services under the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority. Notably, she served as the Inuvialuit Health System Navigator at the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, assisting Inuvialuit Beneficiaries in navigating the healthcare system. 

Beyond her healthcare career, Ms. Semmler has actively contributed to education and community service. She served on the Inuvik District Education Authority, assuming the role of Chair from 2015 to 2018, and chaired the Beaufort Delta Education Council. Ms. Semmler participated in various working groups at the territorial and national levels, including the Inuit Tuberculosis Elimination Board and the Inuit Midwifery Revitalization. Her commitment to social justice is evident in her voluntary work as a member of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls National Family Advisory Circle, where she worked to ensure northern voices were heard and represented. Lesa Semmler's life and career reflect her passion for healthcare, education, and advocating for the well-being of her community.

Inuvik Twin Lakes Electoral District

Committees

Lesa Semmler
Inuvik Twin Lakes
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Extension
12195
Constituency Office

198 Mackenzie Rd
Unit 123
Inuvik NT X0E 0T0
Canada

P.O. Box
3130
Constituency Phone
Minister
Email
Minister of Health and Social Services

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 55)

If the Member is asking me to do another constituency tour, yes, I will commit to doing that; however, the dates we can work -- our offices can work together with those dates. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 55)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, exactly what the Member is talking about, this -- in the last couple years, the community wellness and recovery addictions funding is specifically to application-based from Indigenous governments or groups in the community that can apply for any type of programming that they want to offer in their community. And as it is right now today, in the Member's riding, the Gwich'in Tribal Council has received $303,000 from that fund and the -- they've -- also the Tetlit Gwich'in Band has also received $24,200 for that fund for this fiscal year. As well as there are...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 55)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned with the physicians, we aim to fill all funded nursing vacancies. But as we continue to refine the models of care and move forward with primary care reform, we'll be in a better position to ensure that staffing reflects the needs of the community. And as I mentioned in this House many times, changing in the small communities, nursing has changed over many, many years. So whereas before when I started in my career 20 years ago, the nurses in all of the Beaufort Delta when I used to be able to be on the phone with them, talk with them in the...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 55)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize a page from Inuvik Twin Lakes, Katalena Ciboci-Raymond who is here with us this week. And I'd like to recognize my deputy minister who is here in the capacity as part of the St. John Ambulance and her dog Kit. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 55)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, you know, I'm more than willing to always go in and speak with the community members; however, when it comes to the area where if they want community-based programs that are -- those funds have been requested by the Indigenous governments to go through this process. So what we do as the GNWT, provide mental health supports. There is a counsellor position in Fort McPherson. There is addiction support that's provided through this program. There are -- you know, and if there's discussion between the Indigenous groups in that region and my office and my staff...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 55)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, GNWT regularly tracks current and historical retirement rates as well as current retirement eligibility and retirement eligibility in the next five to ten years as it reflects in the GNWT public service annual report. The NTHSSA also tracks staffing levels throughout quarterly vacancy reviews. Managers are asked to identify any current or anticipated vacancies within a six-month timeframe to support proactive recruitment, minimize service disruptions, and facilitate smooth transition and handover periods. And I can contest to that because I used to do that...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 55)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's always the aim of the NTHSSA to fill all funded position vacancies first with permanent staff living in the territory and, where that's not possible, to try to attempt to hire recurrent locums. The work of the primary care reform is to match primary care needs of the communities with access to the right providers to meet those needs. And as needs change, like aging population, chronic disease burdens, mental health conditions, practices change, expanded scope of providers, new technologies, the mix and number of people to deliver that care will shift...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 55)

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to making long-term care accessible for seniors and elders whose needs can no longer be met at home. We recognize the importance of helping residents remain in their homes and communities for as long as possible. However, when home and community care services are no longer enough, long-term care plays an important role in providing necessary support.

We continue to enhance home and community care services so Northwest Territories residents receive the support they need to stay safe and as healthy as possible at home. At the same time, we must also plan...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 54)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, elder abuse is a whole-of-government approach. The Department of Health and Social Services runs a territorial-wide annual elder abuse awareness campaign in recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. The department also maintains web pages and prints resources with information about elder abuse and available services. Most recently, the 2024 Seniors Information Handbook incorporated a more robust safety and security section covering consumer protection, emergency food and shelter, preventing and reporting crime, which includes frauds, scams, and...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 54)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when the department reached out to home care families, those families are a variety of issues that, you know, they're from families that are providing care to young children to members with -- like, with dementia. And I encourage if there were no -- if they're living with people with dementia and supporting family members that home care is a support. So if they're not accessing that service, I just want to make sure that they know that that's a service that they can be accessing. But currently, the NTHSSA does not have funding for -- for the question...