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 24)

No, that's all I have. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 24)

Thank you. Under this medical travel benefit, I know that we have contracts. Does that fall under this budget? Just to clarify, for Larga and for Vital Abel and for the different homes, does that fall under this chunk of money? Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 24)

Thank you for that answer. With that answer, with us sitting there with $11.4 million and we don't have the extra funding this year, what was given to me with 2018-2019 was $18 million. Is this budget we're looking at, probably a $6 to $7 million difference? That's what we need to be looking at for this next year? It's not actual? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 24)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just to clarify, in 2018-2019, we had $13 million, and 2019-2020, we had $13.1 million, almost $13.2 million, and now, we're going down $2 million almost. It was $2 million a year for a review? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 24)

Last question: can the Minister provide me with the number that it costs to pay for job shares and travel associated within these departments for the 2019-2020 year, if she has that? Thank you.

Question 257-19(2): Health Care Professionals Collective Agreement
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 24)

As the Minister alluded to, one of our priorities of this government is to increase resident healthcare staff by 20 percent. I would like to know if there is some sort of plan that is in place in human resources to fix the system to make it more appealing to indeterminate employees rather than locums and terms, especially in our highly-needed healthcare profession.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 24)

This is something that I have asked previously, so I guess I'll just move on to the next. Within this budget, knowing just kind of what I was talking about today in my Member's statement and with the nursing shortage, can the Minister tell me: do you know how much we spent in the past year alone on job shares and flying people in and out, and the travel costs for health positions? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Question 257-19(2): Health Care Professionals Collective Agreement
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 24)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Finance, where the human resources department falls under. Can the Minister confirm or explain if term contracts cannot be extended up to 48 months any longer, where this could ensure a longer commitment from some of our healthcare professionals? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 24)

Thank you. I just never knew that we budgeted overtime. Can you tell me, in the previous year, was there a change in the main estimates? What was the increase from the main estimate to the end of the year that we needed to increase, if there was anything, for overtime, in the cost to the health authorities? Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 23)

Sergeant of Arms will escort the witnesses into the Chamber. Would the Minister please introduce her witnesses?