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

Question 44-19(2): Provision of RCMP Housing
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 4)

Knowing the people that work in my community, we have a mixture of stick-built, and we have modular builders in our community. Will that be part of the package being put out so it allows for them to also get work for both?

Question 36-19(2): Indigenous Career Gateway Program
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 4)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. According to my calculations, no, it has not been utilized. Will the Minister commit to ensuring that her department does more training with managers and supervisors about this program, focusing especially in the regions? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 36-19(2): Indigenous Career Gateway Program
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 4)

Can the Minister tell me where these positions were located?

Question 44-19(2): Provision of RCMP Housing
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 4)

In the mandate, there are 25 units per year for the next four years. Would the Minister be able to let me know if any of those units would be considered to have modular build? Like I said, we do have that capacity in our community.

Question 44-19(2): Provision of RCMP Housing
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 4)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to add a couple more questions onto what the Member for Nunakput was asking the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation. Can the Minister let me know if these 17 units are going to be all put out for public tender? Thank you.

Question 36-19(2): Indigenous Career Gateway Program
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 4)

Was the money that was allocated for these positions utilized annually?

Question 36-19(2): Indigenous Career Gateway Program
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 4)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since the Minister of Finance has brought up the Indigenous Career Gateway Program, I just have a couple of questions. Can the Minister provide us with the number of people they have hired through this program per year since this program was started? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 26-19(2): Indigenous Languages Preservation
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 3)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just one last question: how do we ensure that the data that is being collected in each education board, because they are different and they are governed differently, is being analyzed so that we are getting the same information across the board, so that, when we do sit here as a government, we are able to deal with those concerns? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 26-19(2): Indigenous Languages Preservation
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 3)

More so with my question, I think what I am looking for: is there more of a plan to train language speakers who we currently have so that they can be instructors or teach other people?

Member's Statement on Auditor General's Report on Early Childhood to Grade 12 Education in the Northwest Territories
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 3)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I would like to highlight a couple of areas from the Auditor General Report on Education in the Northwest Territories.

Under the section of planning, supporting the delivery of education, where it says the department did not take sufficient action on key elements of education delivery, the slow process on Indigenous language and culture-based education: in my community, the schools have had language classes, and they have language teacher. These teachers are amazing, but we are losing our language. We are losing Inuvialuktun. We are losing Gwich'in in our...