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, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I certainly appreciate creative solutions. So I certainly can say as I, you know, indicated or implied in my last response, the Member for the Sahtu, myself, and other Members of Cabinet met with federal officials last week in Ottawa to address this very issue. Multiple departments were represented from the federal government, putting to them that we're going to need some supports that given this crisis, the impact that it's having across government, given the impacts of low water across government on a number of fronts, we are stretched. But we've put this...
Debates of
, 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 28)
Mr. Speaker, I'm very pleased to have an opportunity to recognize Gayla Thunstrom. She is the UNW president and also a resident of Yellowknife South.
Mr. Speaker, before I'm done, I happen to have three pages also with us this week. Aima Tabbaa, Olivia Costache, Elizabeth Stewart. thank you very much for your help and service this week in the House.
Debates of
, 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 28)
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, not everyone might be watching would have seen although they would have heard the vote. I do want to note and make the point that Cabinet although didn't speak initially to the motion did make a choice together that we would stand and support having this motion brought to the floor. We wanted to have this opportunity for everyone, including Members on this side of the House, with me, as an opportunity to speak to voice the recognition of what is happening in Norman Wells.
Mr. Speaker, everyone is voicing support for Norman Wells. I hope there's absolutely no...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the good news here is that all of the largest GNWT assets in Norman Wells actually are already equipped with biomass heating systems. This is five systems over a thousand kilowatt hours are all operated through a pellets system. And the benefit of that, again, is that it creates the local supply demand -- or rather it creates local demand which then encourages a supply chain and a bit of an economy of scale in that regard. So with respect to whether or not there can be changes also brought in to smaller units, smaller assets, I'll certainly go back and see...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one can support a motion without voting in favour of it and that is the situation I'm likely to find myself in, and my colleagues here in Cabinet will be abstaining on this. But I did want to speak to the motion.
The Member from the Sahtu has been voracious in terms of promoting the need for this highway. Mr. Speaker, myself, my office, we hear from him regularly. And, Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that. It helps keep us on our toes, and it helps push something, and it helps push something when there's so many other things going on. There is absolutely no doubt...
Debates of
, 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 27)
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are very grateful for our pages, and I am very pleased to say that Yellowknife South is represented this week by Mya Polpufa Baird.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I spoke substantively yesterday in my role as Minister of Finance. I don't want to rehash that, but I do want to make a few comments, largely thank you's. And firstly, Mr. Speaker, it's to every single person that is in this building. The work of session is long and difficult and it can be very exhausting and emotional, and everyone from our pages to the folks that help feed us to the folks that are cleaning up after us, a heartfelt thank you because it certainly makes the day palatable. But also, Mr. Speaker, to the officials specifically who help keep us...
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nunakput, that Bill 9, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, be read for a third time. And, Mr. Speaker, I would request a recorded vote. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nunakput, that Bill 9, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, be read for the second time.
This bill makes supplementary appropriations for infrastructure expenditures of the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to present to the House Bill 9, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
