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

Committee Report 31-19(2): Report on Bill 40: An Act to Amend the Medical Profession Act
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 115)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The committee considered several motions that would improve Bill 40, including removing the virtual care register, and adding a requirement to consult with the medical professional community before proposing regulations concerning standards of practice.

Committee members noted the strong endorsement of an exception to registration to continue virtual care with referral and to allow the Minister to enter into agreements that would exempt care practitioners from licensing in the NWT and permit them to provide virtual care services to NWT residents. To this effect...

Committee Motion 242-19(2): Committee Report 29-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the Languages Commissioner for the Northwest Territories Annual Report 2020-2021 – Government Response to Recommendations, Ca
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 115)

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

Committee Motion 241-19(2): Committee Report 29-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the Languages Commissioner for the Northwest Territories Annual Report 2020-2021 – Public Bodies’ Response to Recommendatio
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 115)

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

Committee Motion 239-19(2): Committee Report 29-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the Languages Commissioner for the Northwest Territories Annual Report 2020-2021 – Clarification of Languages Commissioner’
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 115)

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? All those abstaining?

Carried

The motion is carried. Mr. Johnson.

Committee Report 29-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the Languages Commissioner for the Northwest Territories Annual Report 2020-2021
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 115)

Thank you. I will now open the floor to general comments on Committee Report 2919(2), Standing Committee on the Government Operations Report on the Review of the Languages Commissioner for the Northwest Territories Annual Report 20202021.

Seeing that there's no comments Mr. Johnson.

Committee Report 29-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the Languages Commissioner for the Northwest Territories Annual Report 2020-2021
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 115)

Thank you, committee. We will take a short recess and resume with the item.

SHORT RECESS

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 115)

I now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Member for Frame Lake.

Oral Question 1114-19(2): Sexual Violence
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 115)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I too am an Indigenous woman of the Northwest Territories and have grown up here my entire life and have known of many other women, and even when I was younger, young girls who were being, you know, sexually had sexual violence against them, and the majority of the time the perpetrators were intoxicated. So my concern is with this defence, you know, and now that it's gone through the Supreme Court of Canada as possibly could affect, this could come out I mean, we will have defence lawyers that may try to use it if there are, so that's why I'm raising it...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 115)

Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Committee Report 2919(2) and would like to report progress with four motions adopted. And Mr. Speaker, I move the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you.

Oral Question 1114-19(2): Sexual Violence
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 115)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Justice.

In regards to my Member's statement, has the Minister of Justice considered ways in which women, children, and those in the LGBTQ2S+ communities will be impacted by this recent supreme ruling allowing for the selfinduced extreme intoxication defence? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.