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
Extension
11120
Constituency Office

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

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

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 69)

Thank you. This was something put forward by committee. In my mind, it's something quite limited, given that it would make very little sense for us to go off on our own and have a different time than Alberta. It wouldn't make sense, and I don't think the public would be appreciative if we did that. It would cause havoc for flights. It would cause havoc for all sorts of things.

I am serious that we would have some sort of website, an email address, a place where comments can be submitted. I don't plan to travel around the territory seeking engagement. Of course, there are going to be...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 69)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will have to give the same answer I gave last time with this question, that this report was prepared as advice for Cabinet, and it was prepared by people who were assured that it would be kept confidential. I am not prepared to go back on that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 69)

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'd like to welcome back Mr. Mike Reddy, director of legislation. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 69)

We have to partner with another jurisdiction just for that fact that it is too expensive. That is not to say that we do not have a lot of our own curriculum. We have a junior kindergarten curriculum that is really world class, and other jurisdictions in Canada have approached us about it. We have specific courses developed in the Northwest Territories, things like Northern Studies 10. We are working on Northern Studies 20. We have science courses developed in the territory, the Our Languages curriculum. We do do a lot. However, to develop an entire curriculum, the assessments that go along...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 69)

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am here today to present Bill 13, An Act to Amend the Interpretation Act. I would like to thank the Standing Committee on Social Development for their thorough review of this bill. A motion was made in committee to ensure there is an opportunity for public engagement prior to this bill coming into force, and I believe the bill has improved as a result.

Bill 13 will amend the Interpretation Act to allow for the elimination of seasonal time changes in favour of a permanent, year-round time standard. Specifically, the bill establishes a permanent time standard and...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 69)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Member for asking me this and giving me a chance to clarify. There has been a lot of chatter about this lately. For those of you who pay attention to what is said in this House, it's been almost one year to the day that I've been talking about renewing the curriculum in the Northwest Territories. This discussion has been ongoing.

After our report from the Office of the Auditor General of Canada saying that we need to do something with our education system, we started looking at every single aspect of what we do, and renewing our curriculum was one of...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 69)

Yes, I would.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 69)

Thank you. Perhaps I can ask Mr. Saturnino to discuss how exactly this would roll out and what types of courses and when those courses would have had to have been taken, if it's looking in the past or future-looking. That should give Members an idea of what this would look like rolling out. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 69)

Thank you. I made some gambles today, but I don't know if I'm willing to make that kind of a gamble. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 69)

Thank you. I think my dad is waiting. There is criteria that needs to be developed. There are a lot of different things that have to happen, but I can ask Mr. Saturnino for some clarification. Thank you.