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 , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 65)

Thank you. Perhaps I can pass it to Ms. Bolstad for some details.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 65)

I appreciate the comment. It is difficult to staff lawyers. We, I think, have more lawyers per capita in the Northwest Territories than any other jurisdiction in Canada, four times as many as some jurisdictions, I think, per capita, so there is a real demand here for lawyers. What often happens is we get young lawyers coming up and staying a few years and then moving on, and so it does create some turnover. Part of the issue is that, as I understand it, the lawyers who work with the Government of the Northwest Territories are actually paid less than counterparts in other jurisdictions, which...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 65)

Thank you. Ms. Bolstad can answer.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 65)

Thank you. Yes, the Member and I weren't at war the other day. We weren't taking shots. It was some good-natured ribbing. We were sort of trading war stories, if anything, from the last Assembly on legislation. Perhaps I can ask Ms. Bolstad for some of the particulars about how many people we actually have drafting. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 65)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Some of those recommendations, the department has already acted on, things like the travel. I can send it to the deputy minister for some more detail, though. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 65)

Thank you. Ms. Bolstad has that information. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 65)

Thank you. I think Ms. Bolstad might have that breakdown. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 65)

Thank you, Madam Chair. The privacy office, which has been centralized in Justice, which we will be coordinating, not necessarily doing all the leg work for all of the departments, has come into effect this month. That should help the GNWT provide more, I don't want to say more streamlined, but I am trying to think of the right word here, coordinated requests. What we are seeing is that there are not more access to information requests; there are more complex requests coming through. That requires a lot of time from departments, so by centralizing this and creating a bit of expertise, the...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 65)

Thank you, Madam Chair. We have Charlene Doolittle, deputy minister; and Mandi Bolstad, director of corporate services. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 65)

Thank you. My deputy minister has some experience with legal aid. Perhaps she can take this. Thank you.