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 38)

Does committee agree?

Question 354-19(2): Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Northwest Territories Action Plan
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 38)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not have any more questions, but I just want to say thank you to the Minister for taking this seriously, for taking the calls seriously, and listening to the families. I am looking forward and I am sure the families are looking forward to how this government is going to protect our women, girls, and our two-spirited, queer, lesbian, and QIA.

Question 354-19(2): Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Northwest Territories Action Plan
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 38)

Mr. Speaker, I am really happy to hear that, that there is some progress being made. Can the Minister explain or give a little bit of a timeline that we should be seeing this work plan and possibly leading into an action plan?

Member's Statement on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Action Plan
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 38)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We continue to see violence against our Indigenous women and girls, not just here in the North, Mr. Speaker, but across Canada. We have all seen recently over this time, during this pandemic, the loss of a young Indigenous woman from Yellowknife as well as another young woman murdered in Hay River. Outside the NWT, an Indigenous woman and a mother of seven, Joyce Echaquan, who went to the hospital to seek medical treatment, instead died while being treated like no person should be treated in a facility like that.

Mr. Speaker, in June, we were informed that an action plan...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 38)

I will rise and report progress.

Question 346-19(2): Emerging Wisely Plan Approval Process
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 37)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just have one question to the Minister: if she can ask the Chief Public Health Officer if she could move this up. Lakes are freezing at home. In the North, we've already got blizzards going. We can't have outdoor funerals already. It's already too cold. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 346-19(2): Emerging Wisely Plan Approval Process
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 37)

I also understand that there has been many changes to this document, and we've heard Dr. Kandola has said this, that it's a moving doc. It's a living document. There's been a lot of changes in there. There's been a lot of changes with the essential workers, who gets exceptions, who can get exceptions to go to communities now. How is this information passed onto the CPHO if there was no one to influence her decision on making changes?

Member's Statement on COVID-19 Restrictions for Funerals
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 37)

We can go to church with up to 25 people, with the ability to apply for more seats, but this does not include funerals. That is not right. How does one measure a funeral ceremony is more risk and less important than allowing non-NWT-resident essential workers for infrastructure and mining projects, who are flying in from Edmonton on the same flight as all of us, that I go home on every time I leave Yellowknife?

The winter is on its way. We cannot deny families indoor funerals. This must be looked into. Our families need to mourn. They need to lay their family members to rest in a way that...

Question 346-19(2): Emerging Wisely Plan Approval Process
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 37)

During the public briefing that we had in September, I did ask the Minister if they could review the restrictions around funerals, and I'm just wondering if the Minister can tell me if the CPHO, if you know that they are reviewing this rule?

Question 346-19(2): Emerging Wisely Plan Approval Process
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 37)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I understand that the Chief Public Health Officer has the power to make all of the rules that have been in place and is not to be politically influenced, and we have heard this from the Premier and the past Minister. When this Emerging Wisely document was created, I would just like to know if this document was run by Cabinet before it was released to the public? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.