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.
Thank you, Madam Chair. So again, Madam Chair, I can't speak to what may or may not have been presented by the Member back in 2019. I can say that the Tlicho Government, I understand, is in support of this transmission project and it certainly is a part of the priorities of this government to make sure we are working with Indigenous governments when typically on projects that are on Indigenous lands. And, you know, I'm not sure where the disconnect is between the information that's available. So perhaps in those studies, it may well answer those questions. The information I have available to...
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 78)
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, this construction work is expected in the current fiscal year 20212022. I think with some expectation that it may, indeed, be even as early as this fall but certainly within the next within the 20212022 fiscals, as I've said will be getting started. And it's a project that has involved the collection stations are involving some discussions with communities around the lake, including the City of Yellowknife, Fort Resolution, Fort Resolution Metis Council, the Deninu Kue First Nation, and so the last year was a bit delayed. One of the other delays I...
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 78)
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, obviously if there was some carryover is required there's certainly some work yet to be done. Neither the Minister nor I were here in August of 2019, but I'd suggest, perhaps, if the Minister of Infrastructure can provide some update as to the status of the project that might be the place to go.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 78)
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, you know, with respect to the specifics of this amount for Health, then that may be a question for the Minister of Health. But I think where I'm going here is in terms of just the overages or the carryovers generally, then for that, Madam Chair, if I might turn it back over to Mr. Koe to speak to to what extent these carryover are, again, within a range of, quote unquote, "normal". Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that Bill 32, an Act to amend the Northern Employees Benefits Services Pension Plan Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories is committed to strengthening relationships with governments. We are also committed to providing opportunities to create a more diverse, inclusive, and representative public service.
Today, I am pleased to announce that the Department of Finance is launching Building Capacity with Indigenous Governments, a new program to support up to ten twoway secondment arrangements between the GNWT and Indigenous governments each year.
The program will support the secondment of employees between governments for immersive experiences about how our...
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document: Rolling action! The Next 5 Years: Northwest Territories Film & Media Sector Strategy and Action Plan 20212026. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, no, I don't agree that the entire hiring system of the GNWT is not transparent. It is certainly a complex system at times. There are quite a number of pieces of legislation policy that need to be adhered to and followed. The Collective Agreement has to be adhered to and followed. And in doing so, that, again, that does require a fairly rigorous process and a fairly sometimes one might think of it being a complex process. If it's not always very well understood, just as the Affirmative Action Policy is not always very well understood. And all of those...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, but that it was so easy. So the summer student program, it doesn't have a separate line item or budgeting item to it, as I think was mentioned earlier in Members' statement. The way that it works, though, Mr. Speaker, the Department of Finance, of course, can coordinate the support hiring of summer students and can coordinate and support training programs for the summer students.
Every department has a responsibility to determine what their needs are, to find special projects that they often do, and often do rely, indeed, on summer students who are coming in...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As of May 31st, 2021, we have a total of 192 summer students currently hired. There's an additional 53 who have pending offers. Thank you.
