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 464-18(3): Assistant Commissioner of Canadian Coast Guard Arctic Region Position
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 45)

Can I get the Minister to commit to having those conversations so that he can share that information with the House?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 45)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I was dealing with an issue. How many of these projects here are carry-overs from the previous budget or projects that didn't get done last year? Thank you.

Question 464-18(3): Assistant Commissioner of Canadian Coast Guard Arctic Region Position
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 45)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On October 24th, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Coast Guard announced that they would create a new administrative and operational region focused solely on the Arctic. According to the Minister of DFO, Minister Wilkinson, decisions about policy, resource management, and conservation should be made in the North in collaboration with territorial and Indigenous governments, but one of the first decisions was to hire a new assistant commissioner of the Coast Guard and place that position in Yellowknife.

Why the position will be based in Yellowknife when...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 45)

Thank you. I understand, with the actual fish plant, there are issues with either the sewer or the water going to the plant in Hay River, or something. They need to upgrade the pump station. Has all of that been worked out, or does the Town of Hay River also need to do some work before this can happen? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 45)

Thank you. Are all the funds in these capital estimates, the $8.4 million, are those all GNWT funds, or does that include the expected federal money, too? Thank you.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 45)

Thank you. Is this part of the decision that may be made soon, or is this a different pot of federal money? Thank you.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 45)

Thank you. Nothing further.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 45)

Thank you. Could the Minister describe these collection stations? Are they just a reefer truck? Is it going to be a physical building? Could we get some details on that? Thank you.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 45)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. How much of this $129 or $130 million is federal funds and how much is NWT funds? Thank you.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 45)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have nothing further with the fish plant. This is the same thing I ask every year, and we're always waiting to hear back from the feds. Hopefully, it is shortly.

I would like to know about the collections station. Could the Minister discuss those a little bit? Thank you, Mr. Chair.