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

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 30)

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister, do you have witnesses you wish to bring into the Chamber?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 30)

Thank you, committee. We should dispense with this fairly quickly, so we will forego our usual recess and continue with the bill. Members will find a copy of the bill in the grey binders by your feet. Committee, we have agreed to consider Bill 5, An Act to Amend the Summary Conviction Procedures Act. I will ask the Minister responsible for the bill to introduce it. Minister Sebert.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 30)

I will now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Beaulieu.

Question 313-18(3): Dredging in Hay River Harbour
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 30)

Does the Minister have any numbers he can share with us about how much they expect this dredging to cost? Maybe we can swing it ourselves and don't have to wait on the feds.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 30)

Thank you, Mr. Testart. There is a motion on the floor to report progress. The motion is in order and non-debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed?

---Carried

I will now rise and report progress.

Question 313-18(3): Dredging in Hay River Harbour
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 30)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have some questions for the Minister of Infrastructure about dredging the port of Hay River. I believe it was back in 2016 he said that we might begin dredging in 2017, and it was in 2017 that dredging hadn't begun, but there had been military aircraft taking pictures. There was Coast Guard doing ultrasonic sounding. There were working groups. Now it is 2018, and we are getting close to the end of this Assembly. A constituent just asked me this today, so that is why I am asking: what has been done in regard to dredging the port of Hay River? What work has been...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 30)

Thank you, committee. Bill 5 is now ready for third reading. Does committee agree that this concludes our consideration of Bill 5, An Act to Amend the Summary Conviction Procedures Act?

Question 302-18(3): Funding Formula for Family Support Centre
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 30)

That is a bit disheartening, that they are not going to the people who know the most about this to do some work on prevention.

How is the government working with the Hay River Family Support Centre to acquire a new building? I know that there is federal money out there, but it is not always easily accessible. There are a million different applications you can fill out. There are a million different pots of money. There are all of these things going on, and it is difficult for one organization to navigate this world. How is the GNWT assisting the Family Support Centre in getting their new...

Bill 19: An Act to Amend the Revolving Funds Act
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 29)

Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Minister's Statement 1-18(3) and Minister's Statement 19-18(3) and would like to report progress. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with.

Bill 19: An Act to Amend the Revolving Funds Act
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 29)

I will now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Beaulieu.