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

Question 173-20(1): Lack of Cellular Phone Service along Northwest Territories Highways
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 15)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And this is actually something that's within the Department of Finance, and the Minister of Finance has answered this question many times before. So I would like to defer to her. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 15)

Mr. Speaker, every year the grade 6 class from Princess Alexandra School in Hay River travels to Yellowknife, and they visit the ledge. For the last four years they weren't able to do that, but this year, Mr. Speaker, they came back. And so I want to recognize Ms. Hoss' grade 6 class from Princess Alexandra who joined us today. We have Maliki Beaulieu, Skylar Cayen, Katanna McArthur, Noel Peters, Jager Walsh, Blakely Beck, Abigail Belanger, Kennedy Bolt, Shelby Cofwell, Shane Delorey, Nash Fraser, Olivia Frais, Sawyer Hurst, Charlotte Hinesruggles, Michele Longwey, AnnaLee Bunkin, Braden...

Tabled Document 71-20(1): Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 152-20(1): Public Safety
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 14)

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following five documents: Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories 2023 to 2027 Draft Inquiry Establishment Order (2023 Wildfire Season Preparedness and Response); Response to Petition 1-20(1): A Ceasefire and End to Canadian Support for the Plausible Genocide in Gaza; Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Motion 23-20(1): Call to Uphold Human Rights in Gaza; and, Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 152-20(1) Public Safety. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister’s Statement 32-20(1): Mandate of the 20th Legislative Assembly
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 14)

Mr. Speaker, later today I will table the mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories 2023 to 2027. This mandate will be our guide as we work to advance the priorities of the 20th Legislative Assembly.

The Northwest Territories has always been a land of opportunity. Since time immemorial, it has sustained thriving and resilient Indigenous peoples, and it has welcomed and provided opportunities to new community members who have made the NWT their home. This land and its people have made significant contributions to Canada's cultural, economic, and environmental prosperity, and we...

Return to Oral Question 62-20(1): Consultation with Members of the Legislative Assembly on Policies and Strategies
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 14)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a Return to Oral Question asked by the Member for Yellowknife Centre on February 20th, 2024, regarding Consultation with Members of the Legislative Assembly on Policies and Strategies.

The Member asked about the government's internal employee survey requesting input to suggest where the government can save money. When we released the fiscal sustainability strategy on February 12th, 2024, we noted that all Government of the Northwest Territories' employees would be given the opportunity to provide input. That same day, we opened an online survey so employees could...

Question 146-20(1): Treaty Rights
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 13)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, again, that's the work that is happening as we negotiate the Akaitcho treaty, and so I look forward to that progressing. Thank you.

Question 146-20(1): Treaty Rights
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 13)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So with the passage of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Implementation Act, we are now obliged through that legislation to develop an action plan for implementation of UNDRIP, and that is going to be and it's legislated to be codeveloped with Indigenous governments, and so that is the avenue to address a lot of these issues. And if there is things such as taxation that the government would like addressed, the time to bring it up is right at the beginning so that work can happen during the development of that action plan. Thank you.

Question 143-20(1): Collaboration with Indigenous Governments
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 13)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I plan to continue the good work that has been happening. I've seen the Council of Leaders from its inception and how it's progressed over four years. One of the biggest benefits of the Council of Leaders is relationship building. I know, you know, all the leaders around that table now. I've made personal phone calls to virtually all of them, if not all of them, over the past few weeks. And so just that relationship side is a big part of that. Under the Council of Leaders, there is other work that can be done in other areas. So there's a housing forum that was developed...

Question 142-20(1): Gaza
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 13)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, again, I have no policy mechanisms to impact what is happening in Gaza. But that being said, the Northwest Territories does work with the federal government when it comes to immigration, and so I know the federal government has implemented some changes to their processes and the Northwest Territories Nominee Program, which is our side of that immigration process, is doing what it can to expedite or help expedite applications for those who are coming from impacted regions. Thank you.

Motion to Amend Motion 23-20(1): Call to Uphold Human Rights in Gaza, Carried
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 13)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this has been quite an emotional motion right from the time conversations about it started, the conversations around the petition. We have residents in our territory who are directly impacted by the ongoing conflict. And, frankly, I can't comprehend what they must be going through and hopefully no one in this room ever has to will ever know what that is like. From everything I've seen, it looks like people are in a living hell right now. And so I appreciate that the Members have brought this forward to bring this conversation to the forefront. It is...