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

Inuvik Twin Lakes
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Email
Phone
(867) 767-9143
Extension
12195
Constituency Office

198 Mackenzie Rd
Unit 123
Inuvik NT X0E 0T0
Canada

P.O. Box
3130
Constituency Phone
867-678-2429
Minister
Email
Email
Minister of Health and Social Services

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 40)

Thank you. Committee, please turn to page 56, services to the public, with information items on page 57. Any comments? Seeing none, Department of Justice, service to the public, infrastructure investments, $325,000. Does committee agree?

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 40)

All right. We will now call this committee back to order. The committee has agreed to begin with the review of the Legislative Assembly. Mr. Speaker, do you wish to bring in any witnesses?

Question 377-19(2): Internships in Health and Social Services
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 40)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of the things that I know is that there are some other programs that are for GNWT employees to access training dollars, but I don't know if this is widely known of the hiring managers and the staff. Will the Minister commit to looking into all the funding pots that we can so that we can train current staff, so that we can possibly train them, if they choose to, to go out to health centres, into specialty areas like obstetrics, emergency? These are the areas that we keep struggling with, and these are the ones that we keep bringing in people from outside the...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 40)

Committee, we will defer the department totals and review the estimates by activity summary, beginning at page 51. Corrections, with information items on page 52. General comments? Seeing none, Department of Justice, corrections, infrastructure investments, $1,081,000. Does committee agree?

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 40)

Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Minister of Finance, do you want to respond to that?

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 40)

Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Tabled Document 181-19(2), Capital Estimates 2021-2022, and would like to report progress with two motions carried. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you.

Question 377-19(2): Internships in Health and Social Services
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 40)

Can the Minister tell me how many interns there have been in this past year and how many were in health?

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 40)

Thank you, Minister. Ms. Bolstad.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 40)

Thank you, Minister. Member for Yellowknife North, did you have any further comments? Member for Hay River South.

Committee Motion 36-19(2): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2021-2022 - Lands - Deferral of Department (page 58), Carried
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 40)

Question has been called. All in favour? All opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Consideration of the departmental summary has been deferred. Thank you, Minister. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses from the Chamber. Mr. Norn, what is the will of committee?