Caroline Wawzonek

Députée de Yellowknife Sud

Première ministre adjointe
Ministre des Finances
Ministre responsable de la Société d’énergie des Territoires du Nord-Ouest
Ministre responsable de l’infrastructure stratégique, de l’énergie et des chaînes d’approvisionnement

Caroline Wawzonek a été élue pour la première fois à la 19e Assemblée législative en 2019, comme représentante de Yellowknife Sud. Elle a été ministre de la Justice, ministre des Finances, ministre responsable de la condition de la femme, et ministre de l’Industrie, du Tourisme et de l’Investissement. En 2023, Mme Wawzonek a été élue par acclamation à la 20e Assemblée législative et a réintégré le Conseil exécutif en tant que première ministre adjointe, ministre des Finances, ministre de l’Infrastructure et ministre responsable de la Société d’énergie des TNO.

Mme Wawzonek a obtenu un baccalauréat ès arts de l’Université de Calgary en 2000 et un diplôme en droit de la faculté de droit de l’Université de Toronto en 2005. Son parcours universitaire comprend des études de langues en Chine et à Taïwan, ainsi que des stages de droit aux Philippines et en Angleterre. Mme Wawzonek est née à Calgary (Alberta) et habite Yellowknife depuis 2007.

Une fois admise au Barreau des TNO, Mme Wawzonek a mis sur pied sa propre pratique du droit pénal et a plaidé à tous les échelons du système judiciaire des Territoires du Nord-Ouest, et s’est souvent déplacée dans les collectivités ténoises à cet effet. Elle a ensuite intégré le cabinet d’avocats Dragon Toner, élargissant sa pratique au litige général et au droit administratif jusqu’à ce qu’elle devienne députée de la 19e Assemblée.

Depuis 2007, Mme Wawzonek a assumé de nombreux rôles de leadership au sein de la communauté juridique : elle a notamment été présidente du Barreau des Territoires du Nord-Ouest et présidente de section pour la division des Territoires du Nord-Ouest de l’Association du Barreau canadien, et a participé à divers groupes de travail. Son engagement envers la collectivité l’a amenée à œuvrer dans de multiples organisations de Yellowknife et, en 2017, elle a reçu un prix national soulignant le travail de femmes canadiennes œuvrant dans le domaine du droit.

Mère de deux enfants, Caroline Wawzonek aime courir, faire de la planche à pagaie et passer du temps à l’extérieur.

Committees

Caroline Wawzonek
Yellowknife Sud
Bureau

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Boîte
1320
Extension
12177
Vice-premier ministre, Ministère des finances, Ministre de l'Infrastructure, Ministre responsable de la Société d'énergie des Territoires du Nord-Ouest
Mobile
Ministre

Déclarations dans les débats

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 64)

Mr. Speaker, I don't have the ability to allocate houses. But it does relate certainly to the work that myself and the Minister of housing are actively involved on, and there is shared responsibility in the mandate for the GNWT between Department of Finance and Housing NWT to work on the housing assessment. It's being led by housing. I know that Minister spoke to it yesterday. But the Department of Finance has been involved in support and certainly would be involved in support of arrears, dealing with arrears, and all of those issues in some ways do bundle together, Mr. Speaker, that they'll...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 64)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can't provide a timeline. I can say that the Minister of housing and myself have actually spoken about this as recently as yesterday and that we are looking to see some solutions for this as quickly as possible. My hope is that there is a solution ready within this fiscal year. Obviously, at this point we've only had some initial discussions, the Minister and I, so I'm a bit hesitant to put that kind of a marker on it but I agree with the urgency. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 64)

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following six documents: 2026-2027 Capital Estimates; Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2024-2025; Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2025-2026; Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2025-2026; Fall 2025 Economic and Fiscal Update, and the Northern Employees Benefits Services (NEBS) Pension Plan Annual Report for the Year Ended December 31, 2024. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 64)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that type of information, particularly where they are already under some form of a garnishment by the GNWT for these arrears, that information is held by the comptroller general's office, and I would be happy to get that and make sure that it is shared in an appropriate way. I want to make sure there's not any sharing of information that shouldn't be made public. But certainly the Member can -- I can make sure that using the tools of this House that the Member has that information. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 64)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for this opportunity to provide the Legislative Assembly with the fall economic and fiscal update. This statement will describe the changes that have happened since Budget 2025 was released, review the supplementary appropriations to date for 2025-2026, and outline how we are revising our fiscal strategy goals to better match the uncertain economic times that we find ourselves in.

2025 has, again, been marked by notable natural disasters which were a major focus for many residents and workers over the past few months. The year is not over and still there are active...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 63)

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, October 20th, 2025, I will present Bill 32, An Act to Amend the Public Service Act, No. 2, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 63)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, obviously, the department does certainly take a whole-of-government view. We do work with municipal and community affairs and to look at what programs and services they are offering through the emergency services that they are leading and coordinating and keeping ourselves, as much as we can, within the parameters of programs that are at least somewhat funded by the federal government and their programs, Mr. Speaker, and, of course, working too with ECE. They also provide emergency funding for income assistance clients and at the same time wanting to...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 63)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with respect to this program, this grew after the initial -- well, the most recent evacuations that we had in 2022 and then in 2023 and 2024, and initially there was no additional supports beyond those which were provided by the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, which do include transportation to an accommodation facility, food and meals at the accommodation facility, some basic toiletries, and often support for the United Way who will step in and provide additional supports through either NGOs locally or to municipalities. It was as...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 63)

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following four documents: GNWT Response to Committee Report 22-20(1), Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review on the 2023-2024 Public Accounts; GNWT Response to Committee Report 24-20(1), Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2024 Audit of the Stanton Territorial Hospital Renewal Project; Interim Financial Report 2024-2025; and Northwest Territories Power Corporation Amended Capital Budget. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 63)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This question certainly has come up over the last few years when individual communities have been evacuated, some, honestly, for very lengthy periods of time or on multiple occasions in the course of one year.

So again, the program we've landed on at this point is really meant to supplement. So it's supplementing the fact that there are accommodations provided, that folks who need accommodations outside of the group-type accommodations are triaged and meant to get access to hotel accommodations and as well as transportation. The goal being that most people should not be...