R.J. Simpson

Member Hay River North

Premier
Minister of Executive and Indigenous Affairs
Minister of Justice
Government House Leader

R.J. Simpson was elected to the 20th Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly, representing the constituency of Hay River North. On December 7th, 2023, Mr. Simpson was elected Premier of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Simpson was formerly acclaimed to the 19th Legislative Assembly and first elected into the 18th Assembly in 2015.

Mr. Simpson was Deputy Speaker of the 18th Assembly, Deputy Chair of the Standing Committee on Government Operations, and the Chair of the Special Committee on Transition Matters. Mr. Simpson was also a member of the Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning and the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment.

Mr. Simpson is a lifelong resident of Hay River After graduating from Diamond Jenness Secondary School in 1998 Mr. Simpson went on to obtain a Bachelor of Arts from MacEwan University and a law degree from the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Law.

Mr. Simpson has previously worked with the Government of Canada, Northern Transportation Company Ltd, Métis Nation Local 51, and Maskwa Engineering.

While at law school, Mr. Simpson was the President of the Aboriginal Law Students’ Association. He has also served on the board of the Soaring Eagle Friendship Centre in Hay River and volunteered with the Canada-Ghana Education Project.

Hay River North Electoral District

Committees

Hay River North
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Email
Phone
867-767-9141
Extension
11120
Constituency Office

62, promenade Woodland, bureau 104
Hay River Nord NT X0E 1G1
Canada

Phone
867-874-6301
Minister
Email
Email
Premier of the Northwest Territories, Minister of Executive and Indigenous Affairs, Minister of Justice, Government House Leader

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 21)

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Thompson.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 21)

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Beaulieu.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 21)

Thank you, Minister. Mr. O’Reilly.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 21)

Thank you, Minister. Mr. O’Reilly.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 21)

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Would the Minister like to respond to that?

Question 213-18(2): GNWT Summer Student Employment Program
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 19)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have some questions for the Minister of Human Resources. Earlier today he said that we must ensure our youth get the education experience they need to become the NWT’s next generation of leaders. My questions are on the summer student hiring. I brought this up earlier during the main estimates. I didn’t quite have all the numbers in front of me, but I have the numbers now. Hay River regional centre, our population is about 50 per cent higher than that of Fort Smith; yet Smith hires about 50 per cent more summer students, 43 in Smith compared to 29 in Hay River...

Member’s Statement on Grand Opening of the Hay River Regional Health Centre
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 19)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to commemorate the grand opening of the Hay River Regional Health Centre which happened this past June 11th. I have to thank the well over 100 people who showed up on a beautiful Saturday afternoon to attend the event and christen the new $59 million facility. It’s a beautiful, spacious, bright building and it bodes well for our communities’ future wellness. It’s one of the very first things you see as you drive into town and it makes a great first impression. The public administrator Mike Maher and CEO Erin Griffiths were excellent hosts and put...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 19)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you for the answers. Nothing further right now. Thank you.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 19)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. it’s a little more complicated than just figuring outthan what that one number, that one big number. Are there other issues, seniority, any of these other kind of things that need to be worked out along with the final number? Thank you.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 19)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just wanted to go back to the Hay River Health and Social Services Authority. You said since 2005 it’s been costing about a million a year, some years a million and a half to top up the pension fund? We’re looking at already about $11 million. I understand to bring them into the single authority 15 years ago would have cost maybe a couple million. Now, I have heard estimates, $20 million, $30 million. Does the department have a plan to actually bring the Hay River Health and Social Services Authority under the single umbrella and when do they foresee that happening and...