R.J. Simpson chosen as next Northwest Territories premier
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Monthly Digital Subscription
$0 for the first 4 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*No charge for 4 weeks then price increases to the regular rate of $19.00 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.
Monthly Digital Subscription
$4.75/week*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Billed as $19 plus GST every four weeks. Cancel any time.
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
*Your next subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $16.99 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $23.99 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 07/12/2023 (700 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
YELLOWKNIFE – Newly elected members of the Northwest Territories legislature have chosen their next premier.
R.J. Simpson, the legislature member for Hay River North, won on the second round of voting Thursday.
Simpson was first elected to the legislature in 2015, and previously worked with the federal government, Northern Transportation Co. Ltd., Métis Nation Local 51 and Maskwa Engineering.
He previously held the education, culture, employment and justice portfolios.
The territory doesn’t have political parties. Under its consensus-style government, members run as independents and choose a premier and members of cabinet from among themselves.
The premier then assigns the ministers their portfolios, and the remaining members function as the Opposition.
The territory’s general election, originally set for October, was delayed to Nov. 14 because of wildfires.
During the wildfire season, about 70 per cent of the territory’s population was under an evacuation order, including the 20,000 residents of the capital Yellowknife.
Outgoing Premier Caroline Cochrane announced in September that she wasn’t running for re-election.
The other members vying for the job of premier were Caroline Wawzonek, Shane Thompson and Kieron Testart. Testart was the runner-up on the second ballot.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 7, 2023.