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

Bill 25: An Act to Amend the Residential Tenancies Act
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 78)

Thank you, Minister. I will open the floor to general comments on the bill. Any general comments from Members? Seeing none, we can proceed to a clause-by-clause reading of the bill. We will defer bill number and title until after consideration of the clauses. Please turn to page 2 of the bill. As I read out the clauses, please reply with "agreed" if committee agrees. Clause 1.

---Clauses 1 through 6 inclusive approved

Bill 30: Health Statutes Amendment Act (Cremation Services)
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 78)

Thank you, Mr. Testart. Do I have any further general comments? I see Minister Abernethy.

Question 847-18(2): Medical Travel
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 78)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's my understanding that medical travel in Hay River is unique in the territory because it's provided by a third party. How long is this arrangement scheduled to last for? Thank you

Bill 28: Interpretation Act
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 78)

Thank you, committee. Thank you again to the Minister. Thank you to your witnesses. Sergeant-at-Arms, you may escort the witnesses from the Chamber.

Committee, next we have agreed to consider Bill 29, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2017. I will once again turn to the Minister responsible for the bill to introduce it. Minister Sebert.

Bill 25: An Act to Amend the Residential Tenancies Act
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 78)

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister, would you like to bring them into the Chamber?

Bill 30: Health Statutes Amendment Act (Cremation Services)
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 78)

Thank you, Mr. Testart. Mr. O'Reilly.

Question 847-18(2): Medical Travel
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 78)

That sort of leads into my second question. There appears to be a significant lack of information-sharing and communication on the part of the medical travel office, where it doesn't seem that they're working with patients. For example, patients are often unaware that they can rest at Able House when they travel to Yellowknife for the day for an appointment, and constituents often spend the day waiting at the airport or Tim Hortons when they could be resting in a bed, which they might need.

I had a constituent in his eighties who didn't realize he could get a wheelchair at the airport in...

Bill 28: Interpretation Act
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 78)

Thank you, committee. To the bill as a whole. Does committee agree that Bill 28, reprint, Interpretation Act is now ready for third reading?

Bill 25: An Act to Amend the Residential Tenancies Act
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 78)

Committee, we have agreed to next consider Bill 25, An Act to Amend the Residential Tenancies Act. I will ask the Minister responsible for it to introduce it. Minister Sebert.

Bill 30: Health Statutes Amendment Act (Cremation Services)
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 78)

Thank you, Mr. Testart. Mr. O'Reilly, how do you respond?