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 , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 57)

Thank you. Mr. O'Reilly.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 57)

Thank you. Minister.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 57)

Thank you. Minister.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 57)

Thank you. Mr. Testart.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 57)

That is unfortunate, that they are thinking about beginning the work to look at a possible review. I was hoping that there was a little more going on than this.

Perhaps the Minister can elaborate on how they assessed the quality of the current funding formula. By the department's own admission, just because you are funded to the formula doesn't mean that you are funded adequately. How does the department assess the adequacy of the funding formula?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 57)

Thank you. Mr. Goldney.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 57)

Thank you. Mr. O'Reilly.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 57)

Thank you. Minister.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 57)

Thank you. Minister.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 57)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the framework used by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment to fund schools is not working in the Deh Cho, and it is not working in Hay River. We are lucky that, over the years, the schools in Hay River have had many skilled and dedicated principals, teachers, and support staff and have been governed by equally dedicated education authority members. It is because of all of them that Hay River has had better educational outcomes than most places in the territory.

However, Mr. Speaker, this success has come despite ECE's funding framework, which...