Member Hay River North

Premier
Minister of Executive and Indigenous Affairs

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

R.J. Simpson
Hay River North
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Rj_simpson@ntassembly.ca
Phone
867-767-9141 (link is a phone number)
Extension
11120
Constituency Office

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

Phone
867-874-6301(link is a phone number)
Minister
Email
Rj_simpson@gov.nt.ca
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 15)

We will re-adjourn after a short break.

---SHORT RECESS

Question 163-18(2): Access to Federal Funding for Homelessness Programs
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 14)

I'd like to know: does Hay River meet the department's definition of “small community,” thereby making it eligible to receive some of the benefits of the $1.2 million being put towards single units to address small community homelessness that was announced yesterday?

Question 163-18(2): Access to Federal Funding for Homelessness Programs
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 14)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday the Minister responsible for Addressing Homelessness announced various funding commitments related to the $16.6 million in federal funding this government has received for housing. I have questions for her related to those announcements. Like the rest of the territory, Hay River has a growing problem with homelessness. Since Hay River does not have an emergency shelter, are we ineligible for any of the $600,000 that was announced yesterday for semi-independent housing units within emergency shelters? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 14)

Thank you for that offer. I look forward to some collaboration on that front. Thank you, Mr. Chair. No further questions.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 14)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think, overall, the health and social services authority accounts for a relatively small number of overall hires, so I don't think that would account for the quite large difference between the communities. Just a concern… I've had lots of people in Hay River concerned about the lack of jobs for summer students. We, know, like the other Members have elaborated on, we're trying to bring students back and we're trying to do the same thing in Hay River. I'll just leave it at that and I'll follow that up with the Minister at another time. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 14)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Ministers have in front of them how many students have been hired. I was wondering: would you be able to tell the committee the number of summer students hired in Hay River over the past couple of years compared to a similarly sized Inuvik and Fort Smith?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 14)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In previous years, the department was totally evergreened and all of our systems are up to date, so funds were internally reallocated this year to cover compensation and benefits because the evergreening for all of the computer systems was done in previous years. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 14)

Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Would you like to bring witnesses into the Chamber?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 14)

Are we agreed?

Question 163-18(2): Access to Federal Funding for Homelessness Programs
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 14)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Finally, I would just like to ask who in the department is working within Hay River to develop a plan for homelessness, to address homelessness in Hay River. I'd like to be of any assistance I can. I'd like to offer that to the Minister. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.