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 , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 67)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we have already heard today, yesterday was International Women's Day with a theme of Choose to Challenge. I want to use this opportunity to thank my colleagues, my friends, and my neighbours for their support that gives me my opportunity to choose to challenge in a position not often held by a female. By this, I mean very literal support. My partner works at a remote mine site and had to adapt his work rotation in order to accommodate the risk-mitigation precautions for COVID-19. His extended rotation was not what we planned on when I ran for elected office. The...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 67)

This particular discovery licence is the last one that is grandfathered. That was the point I had tried to make earlier. I think I wasn't, perhaps, putting it all together very clearly, but it is a grandfathered one. It's the last one of its kind. Mr. Speaker, I, also, would prefer to look forward into the future and not be talking about items that come forward from the past. Because this particular one and all of the things that it's associated to in the other licences it's associated to don't have a rental fee put into their significant discovery licence, out of simple fairness and out of...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 66)

Thank you, Madam Chair. It's good news here, Madam Chair, in the sense that there is money both to advance projects as well as money to put forward to the work of the knowledge economy as a strategy. Perhaps I'll try a third avenue and suggest that Ms. Strand answer the question, please.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 66)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, I do have all those numbers. I have reviewed them. I just don't necessarily have them in the mains document. Again, we have had some conversations. There are challenges with ongoing loan deferrals, certainly with loan forgiveness. I know there is going to be some effort to find ways to support businesses, perhaps on a one-by-one basis, depending. Again, let me commit to getting back to the Member, and again, I am conscious that we are coming up at the end of the fiscal year. I will commit to getting back to the Member fairly quickly so that we are in a position to...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 66)

Thank you, Madam Chair. I know we were looking at the status of that and trying to determine if, in fact, it is something that ought to be renewed. It's not at a final point of decision because it hasn't hit me yet, Madam Chair, but let me see if the Deputy Minister can provide a bit of an update on where that consideration is at. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 66)

Thank you, Madam Chair. I seem to recall the last time BDIC appeared collectively with committee that they had said that we would have a draft to committee before it becomes finalized, so let me just repeat that now. With respect to food security, Madam Chair, I have only just recently received a rather large amount of information on food security and where it's at. Rather than me try to find it, why don't I turn to Deputy Minister Strand.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 66)

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am obviously not here to defend the structure and organization of every other department. I would think it should be a good thing that a department is able to reallocate funds from within or reallocate staff from within rather than constantly having to create new positions.

Madam Chair, this is a major piece of legislation. It is one that was implemented at the end of the last Assembly but is waiting on its regulations. I have many times heard it said that, in fact, notwithstanding how big the act is, it is, in fact, the regulations; everyone is waiting to see how they...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 66)

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm going to suggest that that go to Ms. Salvador, please.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 66)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Broadly speaking, there is sort of an internal review of SEED taking place, where we will look at the question of market disruption, which again seems to have higher and lower popularity depending on the size of one community, but I do not have my SEED materials or this sort of material in front of me on the mains review. Let me send this over to Deputy Minister Strand to see if she is in a position to respond to that here. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 66)

Thank you, Madam Chair. I believe, certainly for the small- and medium-sized operators, my understanding is that it's actually $175 as a fee. Again, if that's incorrect, I will ensure that we correct that. With respect to having the licence, it is one way that we are able to assure the public that there is protection for them, that there is some control over who is offering services and often offering services that are in remote locations. Actually, you know what, Madam Chair? I am getting information in real time, so $580 for a new licence but only $175 for a renewal. Again, it hasn't come...