Julian Morse

Member Frame Lake

Mr. Morse was elected to the 20th Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly to represent the constituency of Frame Lake.

Mr. Morse grew up in Yellowknife and graduated from Sir John Franklin High School. He studied political science and economics in undergrad, has a diploma in environment and natural resources technology from Aurora College, and a master’s degree in conflict analysis & management from Royal Roads University.

Mr. Morse has a diverse professional background, including ten years’ experience working in the NWT’s regulatory system. He has worked as an environmental technician, policy analyst, executive director of an NGO, and constituency assistant at the Legislative Assembly. He has also worked a variety of trades and labour positions over the years, including a season working on the Snowking’s snow castle construction team. He is licensed to operate commercial watercraft, and works as a zodiac driver and polar bear guard for an expedition cruise company in the summer.

His dedication to public service extended to a two-term tenure as a city councillor in Yellowknife, where he worked from 2015 to 2022. He served on the board of directors for the Yellowknife Housing Authority from 2021 to 2023.

In his spare time Julian enjoys various outdoor activities, and has extensively explored Great Slave Lake in his sailboat. He is an avid hunter, and has participated in expeditions for moose, caribou, and muskox across the varied landscapes of the Northwest Territories.

Prior to his political career, he contributed to the Boards of Folk on the Rocks and the Somba K'e Paddling Club. In his personal life, Julian shares his home with his girlfriend Rhiana and their pets – Beatrix, the dog, and Loki, the cat.

Frame Lake Electoral District:

Committees

Accountability and Oversight
Economic Development & Environment
Government Operations
Procedure and Privileges
Julian Morse
Frame Lake
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Email
Phone
(867) 767-9143
Extension
12110
Mobile
867-446-1799
Constituency Assistant
867-767-9130
Extension
12113

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 17)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you for your indulgence in allowing us an extra kind of to finish up our statements. I will try to be quick like I was yesterday.

So I left off on ITI and speaking to the economic vision. And just a few thoughts on that. I think I would like to see a timeline. I'd like to see that timeline be short and towards the beginning of this Assembly as opposed to toward the end. If we need to develop a vision, if we need to be implementing a vision, I want us to be implementing that vision, you know, today, and if not today, as quickly as possible, because I think if we're...

Question 198-20(1): Working with Municipalities on Emergency Plans
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 17)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So I think that my last question I'd like to say let's imagine a scenario where a community comes to MACA this summer and says, we don't have the capacity to host other communities, but other communities' local EMOs are saying they're going to be evacuating to that community. So how is MACA going to manage that situation if a community is telling them we don't have the capacity to host?

Question 198-20(1): Working with Municipalities on Emergency Plans
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 17)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I'm happy to hear that MACA is there to kind of help communities identified. But in the interim, we're in a situation where there is a bit of a gap. So, Mr. Speaker, how is MACA coordinating with communities for the current fire season and ensuring existing gaps, particularly related to hosting evacuees, are addressed in the shortterm while we work on these longer term solutions?

Oral Question 154-20(1): Status of Aurora College Transformation to Polytechnic University
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 14)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier I spoke to milestones being missed at the college and the president asserted that they are not adequately resourced to achieve transition. Mr. Speaker, what is the Minister's response to these revelations? Thank you.

Oral Question 154-20(1): Status of Aurora College Transformation to Polytechnic University
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 14)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the Minister for that answer. You know, the board of governors has kind of stated that they need support, financial support is needed. It's clear that they're not able to achieve milestones on their own. So I'm looking for a commitment from the Minister to show the GNWT's commitment to this project and seeing it through and would like to hear further from the Minister on that.

Oral Question 154-20(1): Status of Aurora College Transformation to Polytechnic University
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 14)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, Mr. Speaker, we are coming towards the end of the existing mandate for which a number of milestones have been missed. I'm curious what the Minister's plans are for a renewed mandate and, in particular, how we're going to ensure milestones are being hit in that mandate. Thank you.

Member’s Statement 161-20(1): Aurora College
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 14)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on May 16th, the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment received a presentation from Aurora College leadership on the status of transition of public college to a polytechnic university.

Mr. Speaker, I was encouraged to hear from the president and board chair that they are committed to seeing the transition through; however, I am disappointed to note that they also shared that they are off track from the established timeline and are not expecting to be able to deliver the NWT a renewed polytechnic university in May 2025 as planned.

If we...

Oral Question 154-20(1): Status of Aurora College Transformation to Polytechnic University
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 14)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So I would like some further detail on what the GNWT is doing to support the college in showing their commitment to seeing this project through to success.

Question 147-20(1): Non-Profit Organization Support
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 13)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Premier for the answers. Certainly myself and a number of Members have been pressuring him about the importance of long term funding for our NGOs, and I do appreciate his attention to the matter.

What are the government's plans to ensure sustainable and sufficient funding for the Spruce Bough program? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 13)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize my most vocal constituent, Mr. Kevin O’Reilly. And, also, I note his son Rene O’Reilly is in the audience. And if there's anyone else from Frame Lake up there I missed, I do apologize; I just can't see you here. But thank you, Mr. Speaker.