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 78)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the registration of nurses is managed by CAN, not by the GNWT. So I don't know if I'd describe it as a barrier, Mr. Speaker, but certainly would want to ensure that we work closely with them. They do have a process for internationally educated nurses, and it would be that process that anyone obviously internationally trained would have to go through. Again, we certainly have looked at some opportunities that the GNWT could find ways to support folks who are foreign trained to make their way through that system, and I am happy to take that back and to see...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 78)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So some of the sunsets the Member is mentioning, we actually, earlier this week in dealing with the supp, were -- I was able to put forward that there's now a renewal of the low carbon economy fund -- I hope I've got that right. I think I might be missing an acronym, though -- and, which at the time of preparing the main estimates that had not been signed and approved at that point in time and so the sunsets were standing as sunsets. But those funds were -- are now being reinstated through that funding program with the federal government.

The second part of the question...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 78)

Mr. Speaker, again, there's some of the groups -- the housing corporation may well be able to more quickly move to set up an office there. That does not necessarily make it an administrative region. ITI may have a superintendent. That does not necessarily make it an administrative region. There are some government services -- TCSA already -- where does that fit into an administrative region? Which departments need to establish new positions? Which departments could move positions? It is not as simple as simply saying there is a new region, and everything is sorted. It is more complicated than...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 78)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So there is funding available at this point for Fort Providence -- or sorry, for the Fort Providence-Kakisa transmission line under ICIP and waiting final federal approval on being able to sort of announce it publicly. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 78)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And Mr. Speaker, not necessarily. The challenge that we have, some years ago, before I was in government, there were more regions -- or sorry, more specific services offered specific to the Tlicho region with some reporting, but it wasn't necessarily capturing services that would be, for example, funding that gets issued to district education authorities or funding for services that cover multiple communities or services across highway regions for instance. So it -- it's going to be very difficult to fully capture everything that is happening within a particular region...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 78)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, so first, nothing would be finalized before going through committee process and having an opportunity for that feedback. It is targeted for this spring, for full release in the spring, which certainly does mean we need to be moving fairly quickly on getting it out to committee. I mean, it was, I think, slated for really right around now to be coming forward, but I -- as I say, I don't know that it's -- well, it has obviously not fully hit the committee yet. So, I mean, when I say any day, it kind of is any day at this point but, again, assuring committee that...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 78)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I can confirm that NTPC did install modular units at Jackfish to increase the capacity. There were installations completed back in 2018 and 2019, and there's also a new 4.4 -- I don't know the capacity of those two, but there is a 4.4-megawatt generator also at Jackfish plant. It does remain, Mr. Speaker, that the system is still reliant on these -- on this single generation facility and so, again, that doesn't necessarily answer all of the challenges we have within the lack of a wider grid or redundancy in the grid but that element was taken care of. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 78)

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and my apologies. I am excited about the Taltson project. And, look, let me just say first, Mr. Chair, it's not a silver bullet, and I don't want there to be a mistake that this is a silver bullet. There's a lot of other work on energy that needs to happen in this territory for different communities, and that needs to continue to happen. The federal government hasn't come out and said we will 100 percent fund your projects, but what they have done is, by establishing the major projects office, create potentially a vehicle that can support getting the project from where it...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 78)

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories is making practical investments to strengthen our energy systems and make energy more reliable, affordable, and sustainable for communities across the territory.

The energy initiatives report released on February 3rd shows how we are building a strong foundation for long-term change. We are improving how energy systems are planned, regulated, and delivered, while moving forward with projects that meet local needs and reflect northern realities.

Mr. Speaker, a key part of this work is supporting the public utilities board and advancing...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 78)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, that would be coming under the capital budget. Still happy to generally talk about the work that's happening with the Taltson project. We are still working with MOU partners who are the Members -- Indigenous government -- sorry, surrounding the Taltson watershed, both north and south of the lake. And right now we're in a pre-construction planning phase, so we are funding staff within that work to move that forward to be at an EA. So there will be an environmental assessment that needs to be done at the south side and north side as to where the landing site...