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 91-20(1): Diabetes Prevention
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 9)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is a lot of work being done in this area so, you know, I want to be able to provide some of the information, and I'll highlight, and then what I don't get to I'll provide that information to the Member, specifically to her riding as well.

So there's early planning for testing culturally grounded approaches to diabetes prevention and management, and this is currently being completed in partnership with the Tlicho government, Tlicho Community Services Agency, Deh Cho First Nations, and NTHSSA Deh Cho region. We've also implemented group nutrition...

Question 81-20(1): Northwest Territories Bursary Program
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 9)

Mr. Speaker, I will get back to the Member on this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 79-20(1): Access to Dental Services in the Beaufort-Delta Region
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 8)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the RFP for dental services to the communities was put out. There was no submissions. And so we are continuing to work with the facility out of Inuvik as we can, and I can be I can let the Member know that on March 12th or 13th to March 19th, Fort McPherson will be getting the dental for his community. Unfortunately, Aklavik and Tsiigehtchic, there are pending equipment repairs. So those communities are still pending for dentists' visits.

Question 78-20(1): Access to Family Doctors
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 8)

Mr. Speaker, there is a health care crisis throughout the territory, throughout Canada. You know, I think the what I'm trying to say here is every community in this territory, we are struggling with shortages. Whether it's Yellowknife, the regional centres, and it's not just doctors, it's nurses, it's you know, it's all of our specialists. This is across Canada. So I don't have the answer that the Member is looking for at this time, and what I'm just saying is that there is an issue and, you know, the department is working hard to recruit doctors, nurses, specialists. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 78-20(1): Access to Family Doctors
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 8)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the idea of a family doctor is something that happens in the territory only in Yellowknife. And of my 47 years living in the Northwest Territories, I've never had a family doctor. I've had a chart, and I've gone to a hospital where my medical records are, you know, and right now the way that the landscape is in health care is, you know, the idea of seeing the right person for the what the patient or the person needs is not necessarily always a doctor. And right now we are working on primary health care reform within the health and social services so that...

Question 77-20(1): Rheumatoid Arthritis Services
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 8)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I did sit on the social development, and I am a past nurse, but that doesn't mean that I am aware of the operations when I was a Regular Member. As the Minister, I know that there are ongoing discussions on how to, you know, work with all of our specialty areas and trying to obtain specialists to come to the Northwest Territories. So this will mitigate having patients having to travel, and this work is ongoing. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 77-20(1): Rheumatoid Arthritis Services
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 8)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what I am aware of that the program that used to support the program in the Northwest Territories right now they everybody is having to travel to Alberta for that. There are discussions. I actually have a meeting in regards to this. It is ongoing work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 79-20(1): Access to Dental Services in the Beaufort-Delta Region
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 8)

Mr. Speaker, if I just if I may, dental treatment services are not insured services provided by health and social services. This is not something that we receive federal transfers on. What we do is we are funded through noninsured health benefits to provide the travel to private dental clinics which the clinic in Inuvik is a private dental clinic. Unfortunately, nobody has bid on any of those RFPs to travel. There are many reasons, and we are working with Indigenous Service Canada to rectify a lot of those reasons. You know, we've had discussions with Indigenous governments on all of the...

Question 78-20(1): Access to Family Doctors
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 8)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll have to get back to the Member on that.

Question 78-20(1): Access to Family Doctors
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 8)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am the Minister for all of the Northwest Territories. That is why, Mr. Speaker, you know, when we have people bringing up the issues that, you know, that that's what I'm speaking to. People in the communities don't have a doctor. People in the regional centres don't have a family doctor. We have doctors that travel into the communities. They're not their family doctor. The care that they're getting, you know, everybody what we're doing is we're trying to ensure that the Northwest Territories has access to the right service that they need, whether they're...