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
Rj_simpson@ntassembly.ca
Phone
867-767-9141 (link is a phone number)
Extension
11120
Constituency Office

62, promenade Woodland, bureau 104
Hay River Nord NT X0E 1G1
Canada

Phone
867-874-6301(link is a phone number)
Minister
Email
Rj_simpson@gov.nt.ca
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 46)

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Thompson, your time has expired. I have no one further on my list, so we will move to a clausebyclause review of the bill.

Committee, we will defer the bill number and title until after consideration of the clauses. Please turn to page 1 of the bill. I will call out the clauses. After I call out the clause, if committee agrees, please respond accordingly. Are we ready?

Committee Motion 81-18(3): Amendment to Clause 2, Bill 18: An Act to Amend the Cities, Towns and Villages Act, Defeated
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 46)

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. A motion has been made. It is being distributed. It has been distributed. The motion is in order. To the motion, Mr. Thompson.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 46)

Thank you. Mr. Testart.

Recorded Vote
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 46)

Thank you. Minister.

Question 471-18(3): High-Speed Internet Accessibility
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 46)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know it seems like an eternity ago, but it was just earlier today that I had a Member's statement about increasing high-speed Internet accessibility in the Northwest Territories. I have some questions to that for the Minister of Infrastructure.

Recently there was a federal, provincial, and territorial gathering of Ministers for Innovation and Economic Development, and out of this came an agreement to make broadband a priority and to develop a long-term strategy to improve access to high-speed Internet services for all Canadians.

Now, I understand the Minister was in...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 46)

Thank you, Minister. Ms. Green.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 46)

Thank you, Mr. Testart. Clause 1.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 46)

Thank you. Mr. Testart.

Recorded Vote
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 46)

Thank you. Minister.

Committee Report 10-18(3): Report on the Review of Bill 20: Ombudsperson Act
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 46)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The committee heard a great deal of support for the establishment of an Ombud in the Northwest Territories. Many people commented that this is something they have long waited for.

Mr. Colin Baile said, "It was in the early 1990s I first addressed, before a committee of this house, the need for then Ombudsman legislation. As this committee is aware, we are one or only two jurisdictions without such legislation. Ombudsperson legislation, at its core, is not intended to reprimand government, but rather to assist individuals with resolving disputes they may have with...