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
Extension
11120
Constituency Office

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

Phone
Minister
Email
Premier of the Northwest Territories, Minister of Executive and Indigenous Affairs, Minister of Justice, Government House Leader

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 129)

Madam Speaker, I give notice that on Wednesday, November 2nd, 2022, I will present Bill 68, An Act to Amend the Child Daycare Act, be read for the first time. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 129)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. As this motion contains recommendations to the government, we will be abstaining. We don't make recommendations to ourselves and we don't want to stand in the way of this motion either. So we look forward to providing a full response within 120 days. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 129)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I think that's a great suggestion, and I'm happy to have that conversation with the youth advisory committee. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 129)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. So earlier we talked about the Ministers youth advisory committee that we are putting together, and that's going to be the perfect avenue to have these discussions. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 129)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. So this is still as I said, we have not even struck the committee yet. So I think it will evolve into something that well, my hope is that it will evolve into something that provides the Minister of the day with information so that when they're making decisions, they have that perspective. And so in that way, that very direct way, youth will be able to drive policy change at the departmental level. I can't speak to the education body level because this is a Ministers advisory committee. But I will be sharing those recommendations with all of the different education...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 128)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I wish to table the following two documents: Northwest Territories Law Foundation 39th Annual Report for the Period Ending June 30, 2021; and, Territorial Police Service Agreement RCMP Annual Report 20212022. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 128)

Madam Speaker, I give notice that on Tuesday, November 1st, 2022, I will present Bill 63, An Act to Amend the Official Languages Act, to be read for the first time. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 127)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So the feedback that was submitted online was unanimous, so it was possible that these organizations did submit feedback. And I will say that despite the engagement period being closed and the drafting of the What We Heard report being near completion, we're always open to feedback. If we receive a letter now from an Indigenous government or the Native Women's Association, that will definitely be taken into consideration. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 127)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I won't be the Minister to introduce legislation for paid sick leave but as I stated when the Member asked these questions back in February and then before that in December, we are looking the department is looking into amendments to the Employment Standards Act. They've completed a crossjurisdictional scan across Canada and discovered there's a number of areas where we need to improve our legislation to modernize it. As part of that work, we are going to go out and engage with employers, with employees, and ask these types of questions. You know, do you provide sick...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 127)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I could provide direction but no one would listen to me. The decision of whether or not to remand someone, to detain someone when they've been charged, lies with the courts, and so it's the prosecution, the defence, and the courts who make that decision and the courts are independent of course. Here we are in the Legislative Assembly which is one branch, the government is another branch, and the courts are the third branch. And I have no authority over that branch. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.