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

Bill 79: An Act to Amend the Judicature Act
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 151)

Mr. Speaker, I wish to present to the House Bill 79, An Act to Amend the Judicature Act, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Committee Motion 383-19(2): Committee Report 43-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on Bill 63: An Act to Amend the Official Languages Act – Indigenous Languages Legislative Changes, Carried
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 150)

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am here today to present Bill 63, An Act to Amend the Official Languages Act. The Official Languages Act of the Northwest Territories seeks to recognize, preserve, and enhance the use of Indigenous languages in the NWT, along with the two official languages of Canada. To do so, the act designates Chipewyan, Cree, English, French, Gwich'in, Inuinnaqtun, Inuktitut, Inuvialuktun, North Slavey, South Slavey, and Tlicho as official languages in the NWT. The act requires a review of the provisions and operation of the act to be conducted by the Legislative Assembly or a...

Bill 82: Legal Profession Act
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 150)

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Wednesday, March 29th, 2023, I will present Bill 82, Legal Profession Act, to be read for the first time. Thank you.

Tabled Document 895-19(2): Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 1423-19(2): Nunakput Court Travel
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 150)

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document: Followup Letter for Oral Question 142319(2), Nunakput Court Travel. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 1467-19(2): Aurora College Board of Governors
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 150)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Aurora College Act lays out the responsibilities of the board and the responsibilities and authorities of the president. And it's quite clear I can't get into specific instances as there may be variables, but their roles are quite well defined. Thank you.

Question 1467-19(2): Aurora College Board of Governors
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 150)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So before the board was put back into place, the functions of the board were carried out by the administrator, at the time Mr. Denny Rodgers, and so that is still the process. The board will make the types of decisions that the administrator was making. So those are decisions related to policies, developing policies of the college respecting the administration, operations, programs, and priorities of the college. But in terms of the daytoday operations, the management, that is it still an operational aspect that is handled by the administration. Thank you.

Committee Motion 383-19(2): Committee Report 43-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on Bill 63: An Act to Amend the Official Languages Act – Indigenous Languages Legislative Changes, Carried
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 150)

Yes, I would.

Committee Motion 383-19(2): Committee Report 43-19(2): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on Bill 63: An Act to Amend the Official Languages Act – Indigenous Languages Legislative Changes, Carried
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 150)

Thank you, Madam Chair. I want to thank Members of the Standing Committee on Government Operations for their review of Bill 61 and the MLA for Yellowknife North for bringing the bill forward and his efforts. Given existing resources and focus on current legislative priorities for the 19th Legislative Assembly, the Department of Justice, which jointly administers the act with the Legislative Assembly, has not been able to undertake a policy analysis, the policy analysis that is necessary to fully understand the impacts of some of the proposed amendments in Bill 61, but had provided initial...

Bill 81: An Act to Amend the Education Act, No. 2
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 150)

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Wednesday, March 29th, 2023, I will present Bill 81, An Act to Amend the Education Act, No. 2, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 1467-19(2): Aurora College Board of Governors
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 150)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Aurora College Act states that the Minister is not supposed to get involved in the operations of the college. And I will say that those are positions of the college, not necessarily positions of a municipality or a region. So I'm sure the board will do whatever is best for the college. Thank you.