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 worked 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.

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
12186

Statements in Debates

Question 1074-20(1): Disability Support Program Access
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 83)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the 2023 supported living review recommended wraparound case management as a key systemic change needed. Has the department made any progress enacting this recommendation?

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 83)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The first question, how is ITI measuring whether its business programs are actually diversifying the economy rather than reinforcing the existing composition of it?

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 83)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't have the best view of the gallery in my seat, but I did notice a few constituents coming in this morning, so recognition to Susan Saunders and Brigitte Forget Watt, and I do apologize if I've missed anyone from the Frame Lake riding. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 83)

Okay, thank you, Mr. Chair. And the Minister in response on Giant, you know, I don't want to just focus on that project but, I mean, it's a project that is going to be ongoing for a while. There's also talk of airport development and military investment. What I am wondering is what is the department actually doing to ensure -- to address the issues with these new kinds of development that are going to be -- that are where our employment numbers aren't being met and yet we have the risk that we're facing of losing employment through the diamond mines, what is the department doing to try and...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 83)

Okay, thank you, Mr. Chair. Well, I only ask because there's a number of targets in the business plan -- under ITI's business plan that I wanted to ask about. So maybe I will just start asking, and maybe this is the right section.

So I noticed that a number of the measures and targets that we have are related to northern employment, percentage of northern employment. I will just pick one project. The Giant project is below the target that the department has set. I am just wondering what is being done, generally, to increase northern employment percentages in the existing projects that we have...

Member's Statement 895-20(1): Aurora College Recommendations
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 82)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Eight years ago, this Assembly received the report of a foundational review of Aurora College which our current Premier pushed for when he was an MLA. The review made a bold case for change that I think is worth reiterating now in 2026 as we face significant economic challenge because I don't think we've been acting with the urgency required to address what we are facing and was communicated in that report.

I quote, There are three key and urgent reasons that support the proposition and change recommended in the foundational review. Firstly, advances in higher education...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 82)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And for the sake of time, I am not going to belabour the point too hard, but I do think that it could be a powerful recruitment tool. I think people who are coming to the territory really appreciated that the territorial government was willing to cover some of the costs of their education. And I just think when we're thinking about key professions that we desperately need more of in the NWT, I think that could be a solid recruitment tool. So I will save that point for a Member's statement.

But I wanted to turn to another point, and that is improving Indigenous outcomes. It...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 82)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Let me just get signed back into my computer here.

I wanted to ask about student financial assistance in relation to a few things. One is the number of students receiving SFA funding for health-related post-secondary and graduate studies increased a little bit from 2023 to 2024-2025 by about ten students. What steps has the department taken to further increase the number of Indigenous and local residents pursuing health and social services careers through SFA? That's my first question.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 82)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And I know that a while back it was highlighted that we had fallen off the timeline. I went back, and I looked at the foundational review, and I've kind of looked over it, and I note that we're not terribly off of step. The foundation -- foundational review envisioned the university being fully realized by 2028. So we still have some time. I am just wondering where we're at in the timeline knowing that the CAQC process has been pretty positive. Can the Minister or deputy minister help us understand where we're at in terms of timelines and whether they feel that we're on...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 82)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And I guess that raises for me the natural question, what is the department putting ahead of the formula? And I get the impression that's the Polytechnic University Act, but I don't want to answer the questions for them, but can the department kind of help us understand this -- all the steps that are in place, but what's going ahead of the formula? Thanks.