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 13)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of Committee? Mr. Beaulieu.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 13)

Thank you, Premier McLeod. Mr. O'Reilly.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 13)

Thank you, Premier McLeod. Are there any further comments on page 30? If not, Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations, corporate management, operations expenditure summary, activity total, $3.873 million. Does committee agree?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 13)

Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Any more comments or questions on page 41? Seeing none. Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations, negotiations, operations expenditure summary, activity total, $2.398 million.

Question 153-18(2): Deferred Maintenance with respect to H.H. Williams Hospital Building
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 13)

I wish I would have known that before I asked all my questions at once.

---Laughter

I imagine there's been… Clearly, there's been reports done on this building, like inspection reports, and Public Works must have come to some conclusions. I was wondering: is the ultimate fate of that building to be torn down once the long-term beds are moved out of it?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 13)

Thank you, Premier McLeod. Mr. O'Reilly.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 12)

Mr. Speaker, your committee would like to report progress and, Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 12)

I will now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Beaulieu.

Question 138-18(2): Hay River Long-Term Care Beds
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 12)

It's good to hear that there is a plan to expand, that they're looking forward at that. What I'm hearing is that the H.H. Williams site, I'm hearing it referred to as a site, not the building, so I imagine that the building is not going to be on this site when it's expanded into. There’s been some apprehension to utilize this building, and there's a lot of people in town who want to use this. There's lots of needs and we just don't have the space. People have been coming to me wondering what's going on with that building. I'm just wondering why the government is averse to using it. Are the...

Question 138-18(2): Hay River Long-Term Care Beds
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 12)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier I spoke about the long-term care bed situation in Hay River. Earlier the Minister of Finance mentioned that the Woodland Manor expansion, as we call it, is going through. I have some questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services. This might be more of a public works question, but I think the Minister probably can answer it. I was wondering what the status of this project is? We know it's going through, but when is construction scheduled to start? When is it expected to finish? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.