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 450-18(3): Child and Family Services
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 43)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Further to my earlier statement about the recent Auditor General report on Child and Family Services, I have some questions for the Minister of Health. The report notes that, over the last 10 years, there have been about 1,000 children a year engaged in the system. We know there are not 10,000 children in the last 10 years who have been engaged. Does the Minister know how many individual children in the last 10 years have been engaged in the system? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 43)

Thank you for that. Mr. Vanthuyne.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 43)

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Next, Mr. O'Reilly.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 43)

Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Tabled Document 215-18(3), Capital Estimates, 2019-2020, and would like to report progress, and Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 43)

Thank you. Mr. O'Reilly threw a wrench in our plan here, and he had specific questions. He has nine minutes of specific questions for you. Mr. O'Reilly.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 43)

Thank you, Minister. Welcome to the witness. Committee, we will defer consideration of the departmental total until after consideration of the activity summaries, the first of which is on page 64, with an associated information item on page 65. Mr. Vanthuyne.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 43)

Thank you. Minister Moses.

Member's Statement on Report of the Auditor General of Canada to the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly – 2018: Independent Auditor’s Report – Child and Family Services – Department of Health and Social Services and Health and Social
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 43)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I always advocate for my constituents, and, when a constituent brings an issue to me, I always give them the benefit of the doubt, knowing that there are at least two sides to a story. I'll admit, when I've heard issues regarding my constituent's dealings with Child and Family Services, I used to think that perhaps the emotional aspect of the situation made the interaction seem worse than it was. Well, Mr. Speaker, I apologize for that. I've been set straight by the Office of the Auditor General of Canada, which just released its audit of the Child and...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 43)

Thank you, committee. Wildlife, on page 24. There is an information item on page 25. Mr. Vanthuyne.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 43)

Thank you. Mr. Tordiff.