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
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 20)

I'll pass that to the ADM.

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

We don't have the actuals per cost. We have the contract base facility what the like, what they charge per person going to the five facilities that we have in the contract. And we also have the it's the flights and accommodations. So where they're coming from in the territory to the facility base, whether or not they need, you know, an escort to go with them to it ranges, so there's not one cost. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, right now we have longterm care facilities. And I know that the Member is aware of the one in Hay River. We have Yellowknife. We have new beds opening up in Yellowknife. We have a longterm care in the Beaufort Delta region, Fort Smith, and the Dehcho, the Sahtu. Currently, there are expansions going on into some of those facilities. And I hear the Member that, you know, the people want to stay home. I know I hear it that, you know, closer to home, closer to the language, closer to their loved ones, closer to but, you know, at this time, like, the capacity to...

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

Thank you. At this time, there's no I mean, the program is set to go live September 1st, Mr. Chair. And next month, they'll be opening up the process for people to start applying through the program. And then, you know, those questions that are out there that what their eligibility, what the questions, how much, you know, it might cost individual members, that's why we're opening up the application process earlier on. But as this time, the program is going to change because if it doesn't, then there's 2,200 people that are still in the Northwest Territories that are not getting any services...

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

Thank you. For that detail, I will let the ADM fill that information in.

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

Thank you. And I hear the Member. And, you know, and this is why I've said I've I've even raised it with my own department to make sure that we're committing to reviewing and taking feedback. And, you know, and if we're going to look as a government as to what we're going to use, that doesn't just fall on my department. And, you know, that's the thing is I don't want to be using something that's different than what housing is using, than what income support is using, and all of our programs that we provide services. And so if there's that's a bigger discussion than this and so at this time...

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, again, our extended health benefits policy is the payer of last resort. So the new Pharmacare Act that's going through the federal government right now is specific to diabetic medication and to birth control. It doesn't include at this time, that is as far as it's expanded to. And so they would have to go through that program as we are the payer of last resort first. If they are like, if their condition is diabetes or if they want to access birth control. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, my deputy minister JoAnne Cecchetto. And ADM of finance, policy and planning, Jeannie Mathison. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess by increasing that I mean, the thing is is that what do we what do we establish as a if this is the range that we're going to be using, you know and this is something that it's not just my department. It's something that we're all using this as the income testing. But it would cost us more if we increased because we would have to pay more. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, one of the things that within the Northwest Territories, there are many programs that we provide at no cost and we have been providing those at no cost to residents of the Northwest Territories who hold a valid NWT health care card. Many of those services, when you look across the jurisdictional scan in Canada, those are a fee for service like throughout Canada. And so within extended health benefits, one of the areas in that is they're you know, what we're focusing on right now is trying to make a program that's equitable to the Northwest Territories...