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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Statements in Debates

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Government of the Northwest Territories does indeed consult with Indigenous governments, Indigenous organizations at the stage of when there's a call for bids. It is much earlier in the process than where this particular item is at. In this instance, what is relevant here is Section 30 of the new Petroleum Resources Act, which actually says that the Minister shall issue the significant discovery licence if certain conditions are met which, indeed, they are here for Husky. As such, I won't have any discretion in this particular instance. The reason that the...

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to announce the release of Living Well Together, the online Indigenous cultural awareness and sensitivity training program for employees of the Government of the Northwest Territories.

Developed by the Department of Finance in collaboration with the Departments of Education, Culture and Employment and Health and Social Services, Living Well Together replaces the GNWT's previous Aboriginal cultural and sensitivity training for its employees. It is a direct response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's call for action with respect to...

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

Madam Chair, I am embarrassed to admit that I forgot what the question was because I love to talk about this. I had the pleasure of receiving a detailed, lengthy presentation, including all sorts of graphics, 3D things jumping out, all from Northwest Territories Tourism, who are our organization, marketing organization, here in the Northwest Territories. They have always traditionally done the bulk of the programming for tourism, and it is quite fantastic. I believe there is an outstanding offer for a similar briefing to committee to have all the same experiences of seeing 3D animals pop out...

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

ITI's very proud to partner with individual communities, particularly through the Community Futures programming. I can highlight that this year, the Thebacha Business Development Services ran an Indigenous women and entrepreneurship seminar, which we were proud to be a part of. Similarly, here in Yellowknife, the Chamber of Commerce hosted women's Trailblazers Symposium. I think that's, in fact, coming up just next week. We're proud to be a sponsor of that. Similarly, BDIC, although not specific to women, does host a quite large number of support services for businesses. It is of note given...

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

Thank you, Madam Chair. I know there are some, but I do not know if we have those breakdowns. Let me see if Deputy Minister Strand does, and if not, we will make a commitment to get it.

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

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm not sure if Deputy Minister Strand or if Director Salvador would be a better place to answer that. Let me start with Deputy Minister Strand, please.

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

Thank you, Madam Chair. Sorry, I just want to make sure I'm looking at the right number. Non-renewable resource revenues, minerals, oil, and gas, I have $1.511, Madam Chair. Sorry, for last year, yes. For last year, Madam Chair, the numbers have been updated, and I think we are now expecting some small amount of royalties for this fiscal, given that Ekati has come back online and given some of the rebounding in the diamond markets. I don't know if I have that number available. Let me see if Deputy Minister Strand or Director Salvador do.

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

Thank you, Madam Chair. We are working actively with the Tlicho government and with the Whati government to determine what, in fact, they are wanting to see in terms of programming. At that point, there are quite a number of pots of funding that already exists under SEED, under tourism, that would be available to support whatever they determine to be the projects that they need. There is not a dedicated line item to the Whati road, or to the community of Whati as a result of the road, but it is more of a soft commitment that we are available and ready to work with them to help realize proper...

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

Madam Chair, please do not shoot at the outhouses. Madam Chair, I am actually heading to Inuvik in a couple of weeks from now, and in keeping with earlier themes this session, with respect to outhouses, there is an ADM meeting happening tomorrow morning between ITI and Infrastructure to figure out the previously promised plan around outhouse maintenance in the Northwest Territories on, obviously, highways, roadways, pullouts, parks, so that includes parks. I will kind of add this one to the list that, if the outhouse facilities in the parks in the Beaufort-Delta are not up to par, obviously...

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do have a number on that with respect to women. It comes from national statistics naming that 24 percent of businesses are majority-owned by women. There are 3,378 small businesses here in the Northwest Territories, so I'm sure that will give her the ability to do the math that she wants. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.