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
Shauna Morgan
Yellowknife North
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Email
Phone
(867) 767-9143
Extension
12170
Constituency Office

Statements in Debates

Committee Motion 28-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates – Environment and Climate Change – Deferral of Department of Environment and Climate Change, Carried
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 23)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So my first question is if it was determined that adding of the new positions would actually save money because it would lower -- is -- let me just first clarify. Is what I heard that it will -- the intent is to save money because we'll be paying less money in overtime? And if so, why do we see an increase in funding? Or is the intent to sort of make the human resources sort of more sustainable in the long term? Can the Minister just clarify whether we're saving money by adding these now positions. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Question 269-20(1): Waste Resource Management Strategy
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 23)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So how is the department engaging with producers who might make these types of products, distributors who are bringing them into the NWT, or even local businesses who are selling them? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Committee Motion 28-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates – Environment and Climate Change – Deferral of Department of Environment and Climate Change, Carried
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 23)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So in regard to the 9-1-1 program, can the Minister explain whether the 9-1-1 program is currently cost neutral or whether there are plans to make it a cost neutral program; i.e., the fees that go on phone bills will pay for the program itself?

Question 269-20(1): Waste Resource Management Strategy
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 23)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of ECC. So the waste resource management strategy and implementation plan which was released in 2019 identifies three types of waste to focus on. As the Minister mentioned earlier, used oil, tires, and electronics. So why were these three types of waste chosen as the ones to focus on? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Committee Motion 28-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates – Environment and Climate Change – Deferral of Department of Environment and Climate Change, Carried
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 23)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Is the Minister advocating internally to his own Cabinet to allocate more resources to communities in the territory for the funding the work on the ground that needs to be done to prepare for emergencies beyond just, you know, the theoretical frameworks? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Committee Motion 28-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates – Environment and Climate Change – Deferral of Department of Environment and Climate Change, Carried
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 23)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So what we've heard from communities is that there's a huge gap in the kinds of funding that's available for emergency preparation and sort of avoidance and management. So I know that MACA provides some supports at the very earliest stage of, you know, theoretically coming up with sort of frameworks and very sort of broad plans, but then there's really no funding available between that very early stage and then once -- the next time funding is available is if widespread damage has already occurred. You know, you can get money after the fact if disaster has befallen your...

Committee Motion 23-20(1): Committee Report 2-20(1) – Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act – Government Response, Carried
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 22)

That's fine. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Committee Motion 23-20(1): Committee Report 2-20(1) – Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act – Government Response, Carried
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 22)

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just wanted to clarify that under division management, there's a huge jump in the budget line from 20232024. Well, the original main estimate's $361,000, and then by the end of last year, we had $6.5 million, and now this year we're looking at $7.265 million. Can the Minister clarify what was the cause of this big jump in funding.

Question 252-20(1): Renewable Diesel
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 22)

Okay, and thanks for that. I mean, recognizing some of the challenges, has the Minister had any conversations with the federal government regarding both the potential to fund renewable diesel projects or ways to incentivize the production of Arctic grade renewable diesel? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Committee Motion 24-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates, Deferral of Department – Infrastructure, Carried
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 22)

I have a question on the overall active position summary. So when I was looking at records it was actually a CBC article about the growth in the public service since about 2018, I noticed in particular the Department of Finance, in 2018, had about 357 staff and then it grew to about 490 staff, and now it's sitting at well, for this coming year, 563 staff.

Can the Minister give some explanation of why the Department of Finance has grown from 357 staff in 2018 to 563 now? Thank you, Madam Chair.