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
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Statements in Debates

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 42)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, there was a number of reductions that are resulting from the impending phasing out of the Fort Smith facility, so that was -- would be the majority of reductions.

Mr. Chair, with respect to any position of reductions, again, there's none in the Department of Finance. There's -- I think there was a program sunsetting that -- some federal dollars up in the Beaufort Delta, not GNWT money. I -- I'm just trying to -- we were just trying to all look for the overall GNWT department change because I don't recall there being a reduction in positions in the Tlicho...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 42)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, there are sites along the Canol Trail that we have some responsibility for. There are other sites that are still with the federal government, but this is some -- a liability for the sites that are already transferred over to the GNWT. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 42)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, Mr. Speaker, just as the current affirmative action policy applies, so too will the Indigenous employment policy apply. And, Mr. Speaker, I can say anecdotally we do find that the bigger challenge is really bringing in students. We find often that students begin to go down the process and accept jobs more quickly than we can get to them. So it's more often than not that the students that are utilizing this are all getting scooped up which is, again, a good problem for us to have. We are looking, therefore, to have individuals who are members of the First Nations...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 42)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, we do get regular updates with respect to progress on GRI which at this point was involving the different -- different programs chosen by each department. We are providing training and supports through MBS over in fiscal -- our fiscal division over to departments to do that evaluation work in an ongoing way. And, yes, then that information goes through reviews is supposed to come back, each program evaluation comes back to the financial management board, Cabinet, and certainly happy to ensure that that's getting shared regularly. I believe it is getting...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 42)

I'll direct it to the deputy minister, please.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 42)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, appreciate the question. It won't necessarily show up as a line item here. The list of things that are being done within the GNWT right now to support carbon neutrality and environmental and climate change related initiatives are across departments, and so they wouldn't just show up right directly underneath this line item, but I can give some examples thereof.

We do have, for example, the cumulative impact monitoring that comes in around $3 million. Alternative and renewable energy programs and alternative technologies program as in and around just over nearing...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 42)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am not going to make a commitment right now on the fly without, you know, a bit more discussion, but, again, happy to take back comments or suggestions that are going to come from the review. Again, I gather that is now underway. The Legislative Assembly's responsible for it. We can bring forward recommendations. It is something that is managed under the fiscal -- or the Department of Finance but is one that I know is of interest, and there are public obligations here, so before any significant changes would be made. So, again, happy to see what committee reports back...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 42)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I don't have a detail, I don't believe, in terms of what -- like, specifically the kind of remediation that would be involved, like, the -- you know, for example, I know if it's -- yes, the specific type of remediation activity itself. Can certainly -- because that would be a lead that would sit over with ECC so happy to take that away and can provide a follow-up. The liability that we book is an estimate of what the cost would be but not necessarily the experts in the Department of Finance that determine what the remediation costs itself would be, simply what we are...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 42)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, Mr. Speaker, there is -- there's some very specific efforts already underway. Larger centres already had, in some cases, the capacity to move this forward. I will certainly be more than happy to bring back the suggestion that this go back to Council of Leaders if it hasn't already.

Mr. Speaker, there is some work, indeed, underway already in Fort Simpson and in Inuvik as well as Hay River. So, you know, again, happy to take this back and suggest that Council of Leaders be engaged, again, if they're not and to ensure that report is brought back to Members on that...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 42)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I probably will turn that one to the deputy minister for some detail. There wouldn't be added cost, at least not anticipated at this time, Mr. Chair. It is -- you know, has been drafted, I believe has or will be going to committee for their consideration and -- before being implemented. It's a tool that's used to help bring a lens of understanding on some of the submissions that come through as decision papers to see whether or what impacts from a macro economic lens things are having. But if I could, Mr. Chair, just on detail of sort of the next steps, I'll...