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 140-19(2): Promoting Indigenous Official Languages
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 13)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Currently, we have official language guidelines, and these guidelines lay out the signage rules for government buildings. In addition to English and French, exterior building signs are to be translated into the local official languages. For the main directory board signs, the ones you see inside, the official Indigenous language appropriate to the local area should appear before English and French. Currently, the department under the Indigenous languages action plan, there's so many different names here, I can't keep them straight, but the Indigenous languages...

Committee Motion 3-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 – Justice – Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Department of Justice, Carried
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 13)

Thank you. Part of the work we are doing with the new arts strategy will be to make sure that we are quantifying exactly what that is. I can hand it to my deputy minister. She might have some more detail. Thank you.

Committee Motion 3-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 – Justice – Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Department of Justice, Carried
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 13)

Thank you to the Member for the comment.

Committee Motion 3-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 – Justice – Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Department of Justice, Carried
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 13)

Thank you. I believe that there hasn't been a change in the budget, necessarily, but there were unbudgeted contributions that are now budgeted for. Those are to Dechinta and College nordique. Thank you.

Committee Motion 3-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 – Justice – Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Department of Justice, Carried
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 13)

Thank you. That's actually related to the overpayments referenced earlier by the Member, so the additional $500,000 that went out the door with the Indigenous language and education secretariat, that's reflected in that same number right there, as well as the changes in the other program detail lines.

Committee Motion 3-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 – Justice – Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Department of Justice, Carried
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 13)

Thank you. I think the indications from the federal government is that this is funding that they would like to see entrenched. Perhaps I can hand it over to Mr. MacDonald, who might have some more information.

Committee Motion 3-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 – Justice – Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Department of Justice, Carried
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 13)

Thank you. It's hard to predict a lot of these programs, but I think that, if you look at the statistics of the number of people who are getting to a certain age, more people are going to become eligible for the programs, and hence there is going to be more uptake. That's certainly what we've seen. You know, there are also fuel prices. While these aren't tied to fuel prices, necessarily, if a senior runs out of fuel, we don't just leave them hanging. If they've used their entire benefit and they still are eligible for Income Assistance, we'll help them out so that their house doesn't freeze in...

Question 135-19(2): Trades Apprenticeships
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 13)

The subsidy rate is $8 per hour, to an annual maximum of 1,600 hours per apprentice, and the maximum wage subsidy support is $25,600, because it's over two years; so it's for two years, $8 an hour, 1,600 hours a year.

Committee Motion 3-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 – Justice – Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Department of Justice, Carried
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 13)

Thank you. I would like to hand that to my deputy minister if you don't mind.

Committee Motion 3-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 – Justice – Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Department of Justice, Carried
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 13)

Thank you. I think it might have to do with the federal election, but it's a bit of a waiting game right now. It's not just us. All of the territories and provinces are waiting to hear back from the federal government about what their offer is and what we could be negotiating for. Thank you. I don't have a timeline for the Member. I am sorry.