R.J. Simpson

Member Hay River North

Premier
Minister of Executive and Indigenous Affairs

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

R.J. Simpson
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 , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 51)

Thank you. So from -- by all accounts, the pilot project is going well. I hear good reports on -- you know, anecdotally about what's happening. I'm not sure if the deputy minister has anything to add, but I'd like to hand it to her. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 51)

Thank you. As of today, I couldn't tell you whether it's fully staffed or not. Throughout the year, the answer could be different that we're down one drafter or we're fully staffed. I'm not sure where we are today; I apologize to the Member. But we can try and find that out before we're done here today if all goes well. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 51)

Thank you. I'll hand it to Mr. Courtoreille.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 51)

Thank you. So, you know, much of what the Member is talking about is what the department of EIA is seized with in terms of looking at the whole system and how a single person might move through it. And so there's individuals who work with the integrated case management unit when they're dealing with multiple different departments, and they try to play a coordinating role there as well.

In communities, there's community justice committees which are often integrated with the community and have relationships with the RCMP, other NGOs. At EIA, we're working on -- working with NGOs to try and get...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 51)

Yes, I do.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 51)

Thank you. I don't. I never communicate with the folks at OROGO. Perhaps the deputy minister might want to speak to this. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 51)

Thank you. I'd like to pass that to Mr. Courtoreille witness.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 51)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Perhaps I can hand it to deputy minister for some more information on that. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 51)

Thank you. So that position has been eliminated for the future fiscal years. So there is not a solid plan on who is going to fill that role or how that's going to be filled. That's still in discussion. Perhaps the deputy minister can add some more detail to this issue. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 51)

Thank you. I don't have that information on hand. I apologize to the Member.