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 697-18(3): Northwest Territories and Nunavut Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 71)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have some questions for the Minister responsible for WSCC. In the NWT, in Nunavut, the total number of people employed is around 35,000. About a third of those people work for a territorial government or public entity, but those employers only pay one-sixth of all of the revenue WSCC collects from employers. The rest comes from industry, small business, and municipalities, which last year generated $55 million in revenue to WSCC. In turn, WSCC paid out $34.5 million in claims to employees from those organizations. That's a difference of $20 million. I'd just like to...

Member's Statement on The Legislative Process
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 71)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of my favourite things about this job is that every day I learn something new. Obviously, I have had to learn a lot about how laws are made. The specifics of the legislative process aren't as widely known as they could be, so I thought I would share what I have learned with the public.

It all starts with an idea about how to make things better. That idea is developed, expanded, refined, or combined with other ideas, into a bill. Just because an idea gets turned into a bill doesn't mean that the idea was good to begin with, so the legislative process helps us improve...

Committee Motion 125-18(3): Tabled Document 237-18(3): Independent Commission to Review Members’ Benefits and Compensation 2018 Report on Members’ Compensation and Benefits – Health and Dental Benefits for Constituency Assistants, Carried
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 71)

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Next, we have Mr. Testart.

Question 697-18(3): Northwest Territories and Nunavut Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 71)

I appreciate that. I didn't give the Minister enough heads-up on this. I've got some technical questions here, so maybe I'll just jump to a different question. The Minister mentioned this last time when he discussed this issue, that, in 1993, the OH&S function of government was transferred to WSCC. At that time, not only did government save money by transferring this function to WSCC, the government also has what appears to be preferential rates from WSCC, and it has deep pockets. If it's not compliant, it can usually handle any monetary penalty by throwing some taxpayer money at it. It never...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 71)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to welcome Max and Julia Trennert to the gallery. It's always nice to have people from Hay River here, especially when we're up here for so long. It really makes it feel like home, so welcome.

Member's Statement on Legislative Review Process
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 70)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I love being able to represent the people as a Member of this Assembly. I absolutely love it, and I'm passionate about it, so even though I'm usually pretty even-keeled I sometimes get frustrated with decisions that are made or when I think we should be doing a better job.

That's why I've been a little cranky lately, because I'm sure you could tell from some of the statements I've made in this House over the past sitting or two sittings. I know that the Ministers have noticed, because I've been taking my frustrations out on them. However, Mr. Speaker, in the end, we're...

Committee Motion 110-18(3): Special Committee to Increase the Representation of Women in the Legislative Assembly Interim Report - Public Information on Aspects of Being a Member of the Legislative Assembly, Carried
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 70)

Thank you. To the motion. Minister Cochrane.

Recorded Vote
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 70)

Thank you. Minister.

Committee Motion 114-18(3): Concurrence of Tabled Document 381-18(3): Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 4, 2018-2019, Carried
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 70)

Health and Social Services, community health programs, not previously authorized, $1,010,000. Does commit agree?

Committee Motion 114-18(3): Concurrence of Tabled Document 381-18(3): Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 4, 2018-2019, Carried
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 70)

Thank you. Mr. O'Reilly.