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

Member’s Statement 1507-19(2): Inuvik Muskrat jamboree
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 153)

Mr. Speaker, as this is our last day of this sitting, it's been a long two months. We'll be back in the MayJune sitting, but I hope all my colleagues get a good couple days of rest before you get back to all the other work that you do as MLAs and Ministers.

I want to end this session on a good note. So this weekend is the beginning of many communities' spring celebrations in my region, and I would like to point out that in my community of Inuvik, we'll be celebrating the 65th Inuvik Muskrat Jamboree on April 21st to 24th, 2023. And I hope that we have some beautiful weather and that everybody...

Committee Motion 446-19(2): Committee Report 49-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the 2021-22 Review of the Official Languages Act - Right to Receive Language Services, Carried
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 153)

Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion. Member for Yellowknife North.

Committee Motion 440-19(2): Committee Report 49-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the 2021-22 Review of the Official Languages Act - Creative Commons for Indigenous-Language Resource Material, Carried
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 153)

Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion. Member for Yellowknife North.

Committee Motion 451-19(2): Committee Report 51-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on Indigenous Representation in the Northwest Territories Public Service - Implementation of Priority 1-Only Competition, Carried
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 153)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think the Affirmative Action Policy that we've had for many years hasn't done justice for what we want to see. So creating and implementing a priority 1only competition is what we want, and that's why this priority's here. We want to see Indigenous people, you know. We don't want to water it down. We don't want to blind the lines blur the lines. So we want to make sure that priority 1 candidates are given the opportunity first to be given the opportunity to do the interviews and possibly get the jobs. You know, and once we're at par, we can revisit this and...

Committee Motion 445-19(2): Committee Report 49-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the 2021-22 Review of the Official Languages Act – Indigenous-Language Early Childhood Education, Carried
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 153)

Thank you. To the motion.

Committee Motion 439-19(2): Committee Report 49-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the 2021-22 Review of the Official Languages Act - Reimbursement for Use of Indigenous Official Languages, Carried
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 153)

Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Committee Motion 450-19(2): Committee Report 49-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the 2021-22 Review of the Official Languages Act – Response to Recommendations, Carried
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 153)

Thank you, committee. We have concluded consideration of Committee Report 4919(2), Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the 20212022 Review of the Official Languages Act.

---SHORT RECESS

Committee Motion 444-19(2): Committee Report 49-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the 2021-22 Review of the Official Languages Act - Indigenous Language Terms and Spellings for Languages and Communities, Carried
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 153)

All those in favour? All those opposed? Abstentions? The motion is carried. And I'm sure the Minister heard and could consider the question in their report.

Carried

Member for Yellowknife North.

Committee Motion 438-19(2): Committee Report 49-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the 2021-22 Review of the Official Languages Act - Increase Funding for Indigenous-Language Education, Services and Revitalization, Carried
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 153)

Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Committee Motion 450-19(2): Committee Report 49-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the 2021-22 Review of the Official Languages Act – Response to Recommendations, Carried
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 153)

Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion.