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 44)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, you know, this -- you know, I think the thing is that we're getting way, way down into the details of how people are admitted. And physicians, you know, when they have somebody coming into the hospital being in admission, they will manage them according to their plan of care to their -- whatever their issue or condition is. Where alcohol management is more where we support is at the community level through -- like, only one of our programs. But I know that taking that into account that, you know, we are looking at other ways that we ensure that through our...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 44)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, so the way that it shows in the budget is reduction because the Northern Wellness Agreement hadn't been signed, hadn't been done, finalized by the time the process to have the budget and so it -- as it looks like it's reduced, there is -- there is no changes in positions or anything like that because of the agreement came after, the new agreement.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 44)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, this is -- this is services that we -- so when you look at the actuals from 2023-2024 and the mains from last year, that is what was budgeted but that's not what we spent. I know that we had come back for -- we had additionally had to come back for a sup to pay for that. This is something that fluctuates. Our numbers are increasing for accessing facility-based treatment. We actually -- over the years, you know, there were calls for reducing barriers to access to treatment and so over the work, there's been a lot of work working with different ways to access...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 44)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, plan of care agreements are not necessarily agreements that remove children from their home. Plan of care agreements within the child and family services are where the family agrees that child and family services will support the family. Depending on their situation, you know, I can't speak to when it's deemed necessary to remove that child from the home. If they're -- you know, but the reason that a lot of the plan of cares have gone up is because more people are accessing support which, in my eyes, is what I've been trying to say, even as a Regular Member...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 44)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, and I appreciate the questions from the Member. And I think it is -- it is one of the areas where it's difficult because I think on any given day, you know, if somebody is choosing to want to withdraw, manage, and detox from -- so normally, you'd be -- you know, you may be working with a physician, may be working within -- with counsellors, getting ready for, going to treatment, so a lot of times these may -- they may be, you know, scheduled. It's not necessarily that, you know, people will just show up to emerge and want detox. So it is being able to provide...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 44)

That is correct.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 44)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'll turn it over to the ADM for that detail.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 44)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I've been told that they'll be ready in April, and then we'll review them. And so once the department has taken a look at what those projections are, then I can let committee know and reach out to committee and be able to provide information on that. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 44)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, this is a very sensitive topic for many families in the Northwest Territories, myself personally, Mr. Speaker. However, when we have funds with -- that we are supporting many NGOs throughout the Northwest Territories and many different sectors, we have -- you know, we look at how we're getting the funding. And one of the things that we've had to do is look at how we're getting funding and so, currently, the department invests $3.85 million annually to fund the family violence shelters in the Northwest Territories. Through the department, they also fund...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 44)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And I -- to get into the detail, the way that funding goes for -- so detox would be in hospital and those would be funded positions that would be added -- allocated to -- and I believe it is the -- like, Stanton, and I think in Beaufort Delta -- or Hay River, yes.