Caroline Wawzonek

Member Yellowknife South

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.
 

Committees

Caroline Wawzonek
Yellowknife South
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Extension
12177
Deputy Premier, Minister of Finance, Minister of Infrastructure, and Minister Responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation
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Minister's Office
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Statements in Debates

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 71)

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River North, that Bill 36, Appropriation Act, (Infrastructure Expenditures), 2026-2027, be read for the third time. Mr. Speaker, I would request a recorded vote. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 71)

Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories is at the heart of several transformative projects that are vital not only to our territory's future, but to Canada's strength, security, and prosperity.

The Government of the Northwest Territories' major infrastructure initiatives are nation-building in scale and critical to Canada's long-term presence and leadership in the Arctic. Together, they unlock access to critical minerals, deliver clean and reliable power, and create resilient north-south transportation links that strengthen sovereignty, emergency preparedness, and supply chains, while creating...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 71)

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Kam Lake, that Bill 38, Supplementary Appropriation Act, (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2025-2026, be read for the second time. This bill makes supplementary appropriations for infrastructure expenditures of the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 71)

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River North that Bill 36, Appropriation Act, (Infrastructure Expenditures), 2026-2027, be read for the second time. This bill authorizes the Government of the Northwest Territories to make appropriations for infrastructure expenditures for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 71)

Mr. Speaker, I wish to present to the House Bill 38, Supplementary Appropriation Act, (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2025-2026, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 71)

Mr. Speaker, I wish to present to the House Bill 36, Appropriation Act, (Infrastructure Expenditures), 2026-2027, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 71)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have had concerns raised at times, certainly in this government, where we had a very narrow set of four priorities. It was raised at some departments or at least divisions since the work that they did every day that they believed was for residents was not going to be reflected in business plans because it didn't necessarily, at least on first blush, reflect overtly or directly the priorities. So, again, I appreciate it. I think there's probably some back and forth to be had.

Too much information is of no benefit to the public to understand or to Members to...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 71)

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes that Bill 39, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2025-2026, be read for the third time. And, Mr. Speaker, I would request a recorded vote. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 71)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I suppose that may be a matter of interpretation in the sense that departments certainly are very well aware of the priorities of this Assembly. It is incumbent on, obviously, Ministers as being politically accountable, deputy ministers as being operationally accountable to deliver on the priorities. So to the extent that the business plans do not align with the priorities, that really should come forward.

Every main estimates, that's why we put them with the main estimates. It gives a good opportunity for Members here in this House to critique the main estimates...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 71)

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that Bill 37, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2024-2025, be read for the third time. Mr. Speaker, I request a recorded vote. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.