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, 2nd Session (day 72)

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

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 72)

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

---Carried.

Question 787-18(2): Status of Hay River Health Authority
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 72)

Thank you to the Minister, again, for that answer. The Hay River Health Centre serves a large area of the South Slave, and because of the size and sophistication of the new facility, it has the capacity to house additional services, including services that are currently only available in Yellowknife. This would allow South Slave residents to be treated in Hay River, which would save costs on travel and justify the costs of the new health centre. Would bringing the Hay River Health Authority into the NWT Health Authority facilitate new and expanded services being implemented at the Hay River...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 72)

Thank you, committee. Bill 18 is now ready for third reading. Does committee agree that this concludes our consideration of Bill 18, An Act to Amend the Health and Social Services Professions Act as amended and reprinted?

Question 787-18(2): Status of Hay River Health Authority
Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 72)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It has been quite a talkative question period. I wasn't sure I was going to make it up here. Mr. Speaker, last week I discussed the benefits and the challenges of bringing the Hay River Health and Social Services Authority into the NWT Health and Social Services Authority. The Minister stated that the roadblock to this was the cost of bringing Hay River's authority's pension into the public service, probably somewhere north of about $20 million now. Meanwhile, the government is topping off this pension to the tune of $1 million a year. Today, I want to address some...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 72)

Can we proceed to a clause-by-clause review of the bill? Thank you, 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 each clause, and committee may respond "agreed" if committee agrees. Clause 1.

---Clauses 1 through 16 inclusive approved

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 72)

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 72)

I'm sorry, Minister. Could you please repeat those names?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 72)

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

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 72)

I will now call the Committee of the Whole back to order. Committee, we have agreed to consider Bill 18, An Act to Amend the Health and Social Services Professions Act, as amended and reprinted. I will ask the Minister responsible for the bill to introduce it. Minister Abernethy.