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
Mobile
Minister's Office
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Statements in Debates

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 83)

Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to recognize the accomplishments of the health recruitment unit and to highlight the progress being made to strengthen staffing in nursing, social work, and allied health professionals across the Northwest Territories.

The health recruitment unit was established within the management and recruitment services division of the human resources branch of the Department of Finance, in partnership with the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority and the Tlicho Community Services Agency. The purpose of this unit is to coordinate and streamline...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 82)

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Kam Lake, that Bill 43, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2025-2026, 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 82)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Kam Lake, that Bill 43, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 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 82)

Mr. Speaker, I wish to present to the House Bill 43, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2025-2026, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 82)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to say I've had the chance to speak to the Minister of Transportation. I know the Premier has as well. We've certainly taken this up with respect to wanting to make sure that that fund gets utilized appropriately. It's only an amount that starts to get at some of the needs we have. It does not build the road entirely. So I am not sure if it's going to be a one-third or if it's going to be project-allocated. We have been certainly, and I think with our sister and brother territories, saying that this is not going to be enough in a big sense. But...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 82)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am already in contact quite regularly with all three of the Indigenous governments who are lining the ultimate route of the Mackenzie Valley Highway. The current MOU exists between the GNWT and SSI. We also have a work plan signed with the Pehdzeh Ki First Nation and certainly am looking and hopeful that we will see an expansion in a formal capacity to bring all three groups, or all four groups with the GNWT, into a formal agreement. So certainly supportive of that, Mr. Speaker. The next step really will be to do that in alignment with the timing...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 82)

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, that Bill 44, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2025-2026, be read for the third time.

Mr. Speaker, I request a recorded vote. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 82)

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, that Bill 44, Supplementary Appropriations Act (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2025-2026, be read for the second time.

This bill makes supplementary appropriations for operations expenditures and borrowing authorization for the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 82)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to present to the House Bill 44, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations, Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2025-2026, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 82)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to table some documents today. Mr. Speaker, I would like to table the following document: The Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 25-20(1), Report on the Review of Bill 26, An Act to Amend the Public Service Act. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.