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 4)

Thank you, committee. We will begin our consideration immediately.

As I have said, we are beginning our consideration immediately. We have already taken a break earlier. First, we have agreed to consider Committee Report 2-18(3), Report on the Review of the 2015-2016 Public Accounts. I will turn to the chair of the Standing Committee on Government Operations, which wrote the report. Mr. Testart, do you have any opening comments?

Committee Motion 23-18(3): Committee Report 2-18(3): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2015-2016 Public Accounts of the Government of the Northwest Territories - Amend Non-Consolidated Schedule to Protect the
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 4)

Question has been called. All those in favour. All those opposed. The motion is carried.

---Carried

Mr. Testart.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 4)

I will now call Committee of the Whole to order. Committee, before we begin with our committee business, I would like to continue our farewell tribute to our deputy clerk, Mr. Doug Schauerte. As we know, Doug is retiring after 31 years, and as the chair of Committee of the Whole, I would like to personally thank him for his guidance over the past two years. The first formal meeting I ever chaired was on the floor of this House, and so needless to say, I have relied heavily on him, and I greatly appreciate his support. Likewise, Doug had his hands full as the clerk for the Standing Committee on...

Committee Motion 23-18(3): Committee Report 2-18(3): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2015-2016 Public Accounts of the Government of the Northwest Territories - Amend Non-Consolidated Schedule to Protect the
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 4)

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Mr. Sebert, to the motion.

Question 48-18(3): Commercial Fisheries Revitalization Strategy
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 4)

I hope the Minister did not mean it when he said we are going to do exactly what Freshwater was doing. Another element of the revitalization strategy is the training program.

I know there have been talks with different organizations about training, not just for fishermen, but for people in the marine industry, as well, so where are we in terms of creating a training program to revitalize the fishery?

Committee Motion 25-18(3): Committee Report 3-18(3): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Motion 32-18(2): Referral of Petition 6-18(2): Elimination of Time Change in the Northwest Territories to the Standing Committee on Social Develo
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 4)

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. 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. The motion is carried.

---Carried

First, however, I want to thank the Pages who have been with us all week and who have been with us throughout this sitting. We could not do it without you, so thank you very much. I will now rise and report progress.

Committee Motion 22-18(3): Committee Report 2-18(3): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2015-2016 Public Accounts of the Government of the Northwest Territories - Development of Public Accounts Summary, Carried
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 4)

Question has been called. All those in favour. All those opposed. The motion is carried.

---Carried

Mr. Testart.

Question 48-18(3): Commercial Fisheries Revitalization Strategy
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 4)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is our last sitting day, so I would like to get some more information out to the public on the progress on the Commercial Fisheries Revitalization Strategy. I will go back to the fish plant. We have got the money in the budget now. The Minister said that Infrastructure is taking the lead on this, so when can we expect the ground to break on this project? Even better, when can we expect this to be operational, this new fish plant? Thank you.

Committee Motion 25-18(3): Committee Report 3-18(3): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Motion 32-18(2): Referral of Petition 6-18(2): Elimination of Time Change in the Northwest Territories to the Standing Committee on Social Develo
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 4)

Question has been called. All those in favour. All those opposed. The motion is carried.

---Carried

Thank you, committee. Does committee agree this concludes our consideration of Committee Report 3-18(3)?

Committee Motion 22-18(3): Committee Report 2-18(3): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2015-2016 Public Accounts of the Government of the Northwest Territories - Development of Public Accounts Summary, Carried
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 4)

Thank you, Ms. Green. Mr. Testart, to the motion.