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

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Would the Minister like to respond?

Question 575-18(3): Educational Authority Funding
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 57)

In my statement, I said that the funding formula is too rigid, and the Minister said, "Well, we looked at the funding formula, and we made it more rigid. Those are the kinds of changes that we are making." Then she talked about the surplus. She said the schools have too much surplus. The schools have too much surplus, in her opinion, because the funding formula doesn't work, and so they need this money to accommodate things that aren't accommodated in the funding formula. I think that there is a complete disconnect between the department and what is happening on the ground, the actual needs of...

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

Thank you. Mr. Thompson.

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

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

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

Thank you. Ms. Green.

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

Thank you. Mr. Thompson.

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

Thank you. Minister.

Question 575-18(3): Educational Authority Funding
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 57)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have some follow-up questions to my earlier statement about the funding framework used by Education, Culture and Employment to fund the education councils around the region. The MLA for Nahendeh had some questions earlier, and in those answers from the Minister, the Minister noted that the framework is undergoing review right now. There is a cross-jurisdictional scan.

Could the Minister please clarify if this is a full review or if it is just a jurisdictional scan? If it is a review, what is the scope of this review, and how is the department accounting for the...

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

Thank you. Minister.

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

Thank you. Mr. Goldney.