Shauna Morgan

Member Yellowknife North

Shauna Morgan was elected to the 20th Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly to represent the constituency of Yellowknife North.

Ms. Morgan was born and raised in Barrie, Ontario. Having called Yellowknife home for the past 15 years, she has embraced the dynamic, creative and eclectic lifestyle in Old Town near Great Slave Lake.

Ms. Morgan’s commitment to public service is evident in her two consecutive terms on Yellowknife City Council from 2015 to 2022. During this time, she held pivotal roles, including Deputy Mayor, Chair of the Community Energy Planning Committee, and Chair of the Community Advisory Board on Homelessness.

Ms. Morgan holds degrees in International Development (B.A. Hons) and International Affairs (M.A.), specializing in community economic and political development in remote and Indigenous communities globally. She worked with a grassroots cross-cultural peacebuilding movement in the Philippines from 2002 to 2003. Her master's research delved into negotiations between mineral exploration companies and First Nations in Canada, focusing on land access during the earliest stages of mineral exploration.

Over the past 15 years in Yellowknife, Ms. Morgan has prioritized work at the community level. Working with private consulting firms and a non-profit thinktank focused on clean energy, she served as a resource person to Indigenous governments and communities across the NWT. Her contributions ranged from planning renewable energy projects to housing initiatives, building cross-cultural environmental research and monitoring programs, and navigating the complexities of major resource extraction projects.

Ms. Morgan has drawn on her well-rounded skill set to diversify her professional pursuits. While serving as a City Councillor, she managed her own piano teaching studio, worked as an on-the-Land educator with Bushkids NWT, and contributed for many years as a full-time member of the Snow Castle construction crew and snow carving team. Additionally, she engaged in facilitation and consulting contracts.

Active in the arts community, Ms. Morgan provides piano accompaniment for Yellowknife’s Aurora Chorealis (adult community choir) and Fireweed Children’s Choir. She served as a Board member for the Yellowknife Women’s Society and a weekly volunteer with Food Rescue and has dedicated time to the Yellowknife Ski Club and Victim Services.

Ms. Morgan’s love for the land is palpable in her adventurous spirit. She enjoys a myriad of outdoor activities in the North across all seasons, from whitewater and flatwater canoe trips to hiking in Auyuittuq National Park and along the Canol Trail. Her passion extends to cycle touring, cross-country skiing, mountain biking, and hunting for moose and ducks with her partner.

Yellowknife North Electoral District

Committees

Accountability and Oversight
Social Development
Economic Development & Environment
Member Shauna Morgan
Yellowknife North
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Email
Phone
(867) 767-9143
Extension
12170
shaunamorgan.yknorth@gmail.com
Constituency Office
Email
Email

Statements in Debates

Motion 15-20(1): Extended Adjournment of the House to February 20, 2024
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker,

I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member from Hay River North, that notwithstanding Rule 2.1, when the House adjourns on Friday, February 9th, 2024, it shall be adjourned until Tuesday, February 20th, 2024;

AND FURTHER that any time prior to February 20th, 2024, if the Speaker is satisfied after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated...

Question 44-20(1): Child and Youth Counsellor Initiative
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So it sounds like there was a sense of urgency last fall to make these changes to allow more school to allow schools to hire the counsellors that they need. Can I ask the Minister, have these changes that were implemented in the fall of 2023 resulted for this school year in more counsellors, personal support workers, mental health workers being hired in schools; has it achieved that goal for this school year? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 44-20(1): Child and Youth Counsellor Initiative
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Following up on my Member's statement, my first question is why did the government move forward with changes to the child and youth counselling initiative in the fall of 2023 instead of waiting for the results and recommendations from the independent evaluation that was already underway? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 44-20(1): Child and Youth Counsellor Initiative
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would request that the Minister perhaps follow up with more details on the effect that these changes had on schools versus previously in terms of detailed numbers around the number of clinicians available in schools before versus now and the number of other personal support workers, Indigenous counsellors in schools before versus now. I would love to see those numbers, so I request that the Minister could follow up and provide those on a later date. Thank you.

Question 37-20(1): Housing Northwest Territories Energy Strategy
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 4)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This question is actually for the Minister of Housing, Housing NWT.

Continuing on though on the theme of renewable energy, I understand that last year Housing NWT completed its Energy Management Strategy 2030, which included objectives about more energy efficiency and introducing more renewable energy such as biomass. So my question is, has funding already been identified that would allow Housing NWT to meet those objectives that it set in its strategy, or what's the plan to ensure that the implementation is fully funded? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 33-20(1): Biomass District Heating Systems
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 4)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One question at a time; I promise. Has the Department of Infrastructure studied what the regulatory or policy barriers might be to either forprofit or nonprofit partnerships running district biomass heating systems in the territory? Thank you.

Member’s Statement 48-20(1): Biomass District Heating Systems
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 4)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So I was just saying that in this case, it's the carbon tax that makes the alternative feasible economically.

Question 33-20(1): Biomass District Heating Systems
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 4)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Final question on this one. Will the Minister commit to enter into discussions with the Public Utilities Board to clarify whether or how district bio mass heating systems will be handled by the Public Utilities Board? Thank you.

Question 33-20(1): Biomass District Heating Systems
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 4)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So my questions are for the Minister of Infrastructure.

Does the Minister and her staff at the Department of Infrastructure have on their radar the technical feasibility study for district heating in downtown Yellowknife that was commissioned by Alternatives North in partnership with the city of Yellowknife and Arctic Energy Alliance, and has the department considered what its role might be in furthering this project?

Member’s Statement 48-20(1): Biomass District Heating Systems
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 4)

Mr. Speaker, today I'm following up with my statement from yesterday by delving deeper into opportunities for biomass district heating systems in the territory. So this is a good example of where the barrier to reducing emissions is not necessarily money. We can do more with existing resources by getting our policies and regulatory systems in order and better coordinating with partners.

While we often focus on community electricity projects, in fact heating our building with oil has a much greater overall impact on our emissions in the NWT than electricity does. And it's up to 10 times cheaper...