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
Constituency Office

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

Minister
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 9)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My grandma has lived in that building for 12 years, and so while it is an institutional setting, it is still a home and she looks at it as a home, so I know people do. It is their home. I would ask that the Minister commit to sharing that assessment with myself and the other Member for Hay River. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 9)

I could probably live with that 50-bed expansion that the Minister mentioned.

---Laughter

I understand the old hospital is not meeting, maybe, today's standards. I know there's an older part of it and there's a newer part of it, and the older part is the issue. That’s the reason, I believe, that we needed to move out. The new part appears to be structurally sound. I know there needs to be some renovation done to it. Will the government look at renovating that building so the newer part of the building can extend its life?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 9)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This weekend is going to be a busy one in Hay River, so I thought I'd take this opportunity to let everyone know about some of the exciting events that are going to be happening in our region. This year will be the 34th annual Kamba Carnival held just across the river at the K'atl'odeeche First Nation. It's an annual celebration of spring and a tradition in the region, attracting people from all over the North. It features snowshoe races, talent shows, dog sledding, fish-eating competitions, traditional games, and more. There's something for everyone in the family to...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 9)

I would like to ask: Will the Minister commit to doing that review with Public Works and Services so we can use this facility?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 9)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In Hay River right now, we're in the process of moving the medical clinic to the new health centre, and it's my understanding that, I imagine, in the next year or two the rest of the hospital will move as well. The Minister of Health and Social Services tabled the Long-Term Care Program Review in this House on Monday and it discusses our lack of long-term care beds. Currently we're slated to get 10 new beds built onto the Woodland Manor, and all that does is take the current long-term beds in the current hospital and move them to the Manor. My question to the Minister...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 8)

Thank you, Mr. Aumond. Mr. O'Reilly.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 8)

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

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 8)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Further to my Member's statement from earlier today, I address these questions to the Minister responsible for the Power Corporation. It's been three years since the NT Energy Power System Plan and the NWT Energy Action Plan called for a pre-feasibility study of the Taltson Southern Expansion, and my questions are related to that. I'd like to know where we are on that. That was three years ago, we should be three years in. I would like to ask: Does the government know what the costs are to upgrade the hydro facility to make a southern expansion economically feasible...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 8)

Department, Industry, Tourism and Investment. Appropriation authority required, $25,757,000.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 8)

Thank you, Minister McLeod. Mr. Blake.