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 54)

Thank you, Madam Chair. This was a joint item, so there are also items that, when you have an opportunity to look at ECE tomorrow I believe, you will see there are going to be items reflected there, as well, for the safe reopening of schools. It was the tech component, the technology component that fell within the chief information officer's area, so as I say, again, a joint item between the two departments, this portion, the technology portion, being with us. Other elements fell within ECE. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 54)

The 10-year review, in fact, it is the Legislative Assembly or a committee of the Legislative Assembly that is responsible for conducting the 10-year review. I can certainly assure the Member, assure this House, that myself and the Department of Finance are more than happy and very much prepared to be of assistance as that process goes forward through this Assembly.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 54)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, I am certainly alive to the date at issue. However, Madam Chair, I am simply a little bit hesitant to step in on a matter that really should be going to the housing Minister or to the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation. What I would suggest to do is to take that back to my colleague and to make sure that we have an answer that is done in collaboration between finance and as well with the Minister responsible. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 54)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, I have also raised my concern with respect to the idea of doing base budgeting and incremental budgeting, which is exactly why I am proposing to do the government renewal initiative and do a value-based budgeting. I am not proposing to simply come in and pick one area or another without evidence and without knowing what the values are and then say we are going to make adjustments. That, to me, is not the right way to make policy changes.

This is a particular item where it is an item that lapses if it is not received because it is owed to Aboriginal parties, and it...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 54)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, so this is showing only the debt that is owing and the principal on the debt that is owing. The operations budget for Stanton would come in under the Health and Social Services authority. I would expect, Madam Chair, that we likely could put a total project analysis together. Madam Chair, actually, Deputy Minister Kalgutkar was actually quite involved on the Stanton project. Perhaps, I would suggest, he could also give a bit more clarity to MLA Martselos.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 54)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, Madam Chair, it does. The briefing materials I have in front of me don't go through it, and I don't want to misstate it. I remember from just looking at it myself that the introductory materials, both in terms of the materials online as well as the materials in the workbook that accompanies it, are aware and alive to having some sensitivity to trauma-informed practice. What I would suggest, Madam Chair, I think it is something I also agree is very important. I will commit to just getting more details on exactly the extent of what's included in the materials for the...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 54)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My understanding is that, when the Heritage Fund Act was initially put into place, it actually did not include a requirement for the report to be tabled or provided. However, when the act was amended and with a new Financial Administration Act in force, and I believe that would have been in 2016, from that date forward, the reports have, in fact, been published and brought forward by the Department of Finance and that indeed those reports are contained in section 3 of the public accounts, which does get tabled every year, and that 2018-2019, 2017-2018, and back to 2016...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 54)

Thank you, Madam Chair. The travel budget as it is approximately, over time, roughly over 80 percent of it tends to be Northwest Territories-based travel, and I do expect that travel within the territory will be increasing with more frequency over the coming months and certainly over this fiscal year as compared to last. With respect to the remainder or the other portion of the travel budget, certainly in the past, it has been a critical part of being able to attend to Ottawa, for instance, for FPT or federal-provincial-territorial meetings, which certainly have moved online. While I would...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 54)

Thank you, Madam Chair. I do have the numbers here in front of me. We had 391 applications coming from 94 different businesses to just over 2,100-and-some individuals. This was for all workers 15 years and over. Somebody who is 16 is not necessarily in a situation where they need to be making a living wage if they're still living at home, and it does also include people who are working in the service sector where -- it's not a statement but simply a pro or con to this -- they may well be in a situation of making tips on top of wages.

I think the point is that there is some more analysis that...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 54)

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Fiscal Responsibility Policy right now is not certainly part of any of the active reviews that are under way. Certainly, the Department of Finance, in general, which is responsible for management of the borrowing plan of the Fiscal Responsibility Policy is part of what we will be getting under some review in the next coming months.

Madam Chair, I just would note that even on projects that are large projects, they would have the debt amortized over the course of time regardless. There are other public accounting techniques that would demonstrate when there's a large...