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
Lesa_semmler@ntassembly.ca
Phone
(867) 767-9143 (link is a phone number)
Constituency Office

125 Mackenzie Rd
Unit 203
Inuvik NT X0E 0T0
Canada

P.O. Box
3130
Constituency Phone
867-678-2429(link is a phone number)
Minister
Email
Lesa_semmler@gov.nt.ca
Minister of Health and Social Services

Statements in Debates

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, a lot of it is within the health authority, especially NTHSSA, a big chunk of it is the collective agreement. But, however, as I mentioned before, this is the way health budget works. It's kind of -- so remember I was talking about that $14 million and we reallocated it, and so some of -- there's other funding that we have that we reallocated to historic deficits so those positions may have not come up before and now they're actually funded positions. So they're going in as funded positions, and I -- if I may, I mean, if you want the details of that, I can turn it...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 43)

Yes, that's correct. So anything that's negotiated for the staff, if in the collective agreement, if it's in our department then that's where it would lie. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 43)

Thank you, Madam Chair. And I really appreciate that question because I think this is something that we had discussed many times in the last government, and I think that is the change that we need to look at, is family preservation workers are not a new -- like, they're new in the system that child and family services has -- you know, as Indigenous population is prominent in child and family services, there is that distrust, and so I appreciate the Member bringing this forward. But the change that is going on through the system is that the focus is on prevention. From the family preservation...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 43)

I will turn that to over to deputy minister.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 43)

Thank you, Madam Chair. As I wasn't prepared to speak to that piece, I'm going to just turn it over to the deputy minister. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 43)

I don't have that detail in front of me, but I do believe that it was in their annual -- their public annual report on child and family services, so it is a public document. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 43)

I can pass it on to the ADM.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 43)

Thank you, Madam Chair. To my left is the deputy minister Jo-Anne Cecchetto. And to my left -- or my right, my other left -- to my right is Jeannie Mathison, ADM finance.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 43)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, that contribution actually goes to the Tlicho government as a contribution. Thank you. And it's fully subscribed.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 43)

Yes, Madam Chair, the health sustainability unit is taking -- I mean, they have to analyze the entire system and that's where -- we cannot just analyze pieces of it. And if we continue to analyze pieces of it, then, you know, we don't know how those pieces are working together. So, yes, the health sustainability is -- and the deputy minister and her department and the PA have been directed to work, you know, all together so that way the whole system is being analyzed. Thank you, Madam Chair.