Deputy Premier Minister of Finance Minister Responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation Minister Responsible for Strategic Infrastructure, Energy and Supply Chains
Caroline Wawzonek was first elected to the 19th Legislative Assembly in 2019 as the Member for Yellowknife South. Ms. Wawzonek served as Minister of Justice, Minister of Finance, Minister responsible for the Status of Women and the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. In 2023, Ms. Wawzonek was acclaimed to the 20th Legislative Assembly and returned to Executive Council as Deputy Premier, Minister of Finance, Minister of Infrastructure and the Minister Responsible for the NWT Power Corporation.
Ms. Wawzonek holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Calgary (2000) and a law degree from the University of Toronto, Faculty of Law (2005). Her academic journey included language studies in China and Taiwan, as well as legal internships in the Philippines and England. Born in Calgary, AB, she has called Yellowknife home since 2007.
After establishing her criminal law practice post-admission to the Law Society of the NWT, Ms. Wawzonek appeared in all levels of NWT courts and engaged in circuit court travel. She later joined Dragon Toner, expanding her practice to general litigation and administrative law until becoming a member of the 19th Assembly.
Since 2007, she has taken on leadership roles in the legal community, including the presidency of the Law Society of the Northwest Territories (LSNT), section chair for the Canadian Bar Association Northwest Territories Branch (CBA-NT), and committee membership in various working groups. Her community involvement extends to appointments in multiple Yellowknife organizations, and she received a national award in 2017 for her contributions to Canadian Women in Law.
Ms. Wawzonek, a mother of two, enjoys running, paddleboarding, and time outdoors.
Madam Chair, that is definitely one path. I think I'm starting to realize here where this is going. Yes, look, I think it would be wonderful news to have, again as I said, more access to the waterways, whether for tourism, for the sake of the communities, or for fisheries. So one way is for the community to reach out to ITI to be partners in that and to then take the interest to the DFO to say, look, get your officials out to the community of Fort Providence. There's an interest locally. I know there's an interest in the fishery locally there. What can be done to have better access. And if...
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 164)
Thank you, Madam Chair. So the Tlicho region, or the Monfwi riding, does is I can summarize they're getting $36,615,000 this year. It is actually 10 percent of the total capital estimates. And that is not including the territorial portion which may well include some of the highway work if that is deemed as territorial. So I can provide a breakdown. I only have that number right now; I don't have a breakdown.
And as for an agreement, I mean, again, I I'm not sure I'm entirely understanding the context but the Tlicho Infrastructure Cooperation Agreement does exist between the Tlicho government...
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 164)
To Mr. Martin, please.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 164)
Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, Madam Chair, there is an engagement process that will be undertaken. I don't have the details of it here, but certainly, I you know, I would expect that the relevant organizations of the community would be engaged. Thank you.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 164)
Yes, thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, at the risk of repeating myself, I've had the opportunity to be on that highway and be in the community, and this is truly a gem for the Northwest Territories tourism industry. It should be I mean, it's a gem. And, you know, it would be such a wonderful opportunity to see it flooded with tourism but with the facilities there to properly receive the tourists and to maximize the opportunity for the community.
So my understanding is that the visitors centre, albeit small, is open. I agree there was no there wasn't quite the flash opening that any of us...
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 164)
Thank you, Madam Chair. The federal money that was secured was intended to support work up to the point of an environmental assessment. And anticipating where this may well go, there, of course, is the regional strategic environmental assessment that is now also underway. That is not falling under the same pot of funding but that to the extent that there is I wouldn't say slippage but perhaps a delay in the work, as that work also needed to get done and needed to be considered. But, again, the funding is provided for the purpose of being ready to put forward the environment or to complete...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, since 2017 the level of engagement with respect to the Mineral Resource Act, and then now the mineral resource regulations, has been extensive. In particular, of course, and leading that work has been with the Intergovernmental Council and the technical working group there, and the status report I want to put before the House will detail all of those meetings, including some of the hours that were spent on some of those meetings.
Mr. Speaker, between now and the election, there's not anything that is out for public review. The process the policy documents...
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 163)
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I understand that early access to this gym and a school, rather, at this point as quickly as possible it does remain a priority, which is why it is given the new November 1st date. And in the interim, there's been a phasing of some temporary classrooms that are adjusted in order to continue instruction. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the extent of the work the Member's quite right, the extent of the work to see the implementation to the Mineral Resources Act is extraordinary. It is huge. And I'm happy to say I will be putting forward to the House a full summary status report detailing all the different pieces, all of what's been worked on with the technical working group, with the Intergovernmental Council and in order to show a pathway that we're on and where we would what we've achieved over the last four years. There is quite a lot that has been done. I will have that tabled in the...
