Caroline Wawzonek

Députée de Yellowknife Sud

Première ministre adjointe
Ministre des Finances
Ministre responsable de la Société d’énergie des Territoires du Nord-Ouest
Ministre responsable de l’infrastructure stratégique, de l’énergie et des chaînes d’approvisionnement

Caroline Wawzonek a été élue pour la première fois à la 19e Assemblée législative en 2019, comme représentante de Yellowknife Sud. Elle a été ministre de la Justice, ministre des Finances, ministre responsable de la condition de la femme, et ministre de l’Industrie, du Tourisme et de l’Investissement. En 2023, Mme Wawzonek a été élue par acclamation à la 20e Assemblée législative et a réintégré le Conseil exécutif en tant que première ministre adjointe, ministre des Finances, ministre de l’Infrastructure et ministre responsable de la Société d’énergie des TNO.

Mme Wawzonek a obtenu un baccalauréat ès arts de l’Université de Calgary en 2000 et un diplôme en droit de la faculté de droit de l’Université de Toronto en 2005. Son parcours universitaire comprend des études de langues en Chine et à Taïwan, ainsi que des stages de droit aux Philippines et en Angleterre. Mme Wawzonek est née à Calgary (Alberta) et habite Yellowknife depuis 2007.

Une fois admise au Barreau des TNO, Mme Wawzonek a mis sur pied sa propre pratique du droit pénal et a plaidé à tous les échelons du système judiciaire des Territoires du Nord-Ouest, et s’est souvent déplacée dans les collectivités ténoises à cet effet. Elle a ensuite intégré le cabinet d’avocats Dragon Toner, élargissant sa pratique au litige général et au droit administratif jusqu’à ce qu’elle devienne députée de la 19e Assemblée.

Depuis 2007, Mme Wawzonek a assumé de nombreux rôles de leadership au sein de la communauté juridique : elle a notamment été présidente du Barreau des Territoires du Nord-Ouest et présidente de section pour la division des Territoires du Nord-Ouest de l’Association du Barreau canadien, et a participé à divers groupes de travail. Son engagement envers la collectivité l’a amenée à œuvrer dans de multiples organisations de Yellowknife et, en 2017, elle a reçu un prix national soulignant le travail de femmes canadiennes œuvrant dans le domaine du droit.

Mère de deux enfants, Caroline Wawzonek aime courir, faire de la planche à pagaie et passer du temps à l’extérieur.

Committees

Caroline Wawzonek
Yellowknife Sud
Bureau

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Boîte
1320
Extension
12177
Vice-premier ministre, Ministère des finances, Ministre de l'Infrastructure, Ministre responsable de la Société d'énergie des Territoires du Nord-Ouest

Déclarations dans les débats

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 61)

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member from Kam Lake, that Bill 30, Supplementary Appropriations Act (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization) No. 1, 2025-2026, be read for the third time. And, Mr. Speaker, I request a recorded vote. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 61)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Obviously, the March 2023 -- or March 2025 year has not yet been completed, Mr. Speaker, but the 2024 amounts are still being finalized, and I can give you an estimate that we're sitting around $6.9 million. That would be 3.6 percent decrease from the 2023 reported premium tax. As I'd said earlier, we are now tabulating 2024. 2025 will be reported in a year -- just over -- just under a year from now. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 61)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, this is an amount that is in response to concerns that have been raised by the judiciary. Now, I will answer maybe the last question before the first, which is whether or not it was foreseen. Mr. Chair, obviously -- I shouldn't say obviously, but judiciary has raised concerns about the state of the building and whether or not it was adequate and fit to purpose over the course of some time, and there have been over the course of time different efforts to try to alleviate those concerns.

What has been raised and what is proposed to be done on this present occasion...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 61)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The insurance license year ends June 30th, so the June 30th, 2024, would be the end of that year. The annual report is then prepared thereafter. We could expect the 2024 Annual Report that gets prepared through the year will then be released in October, so the fall of this year. So roughly fall 2025. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 61)

Yes, please, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 61)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do appreciate the advocacy on behalf of constituents. I certainly want to ensure that our procurement review -- or procurement processes are accurate and fair. We are subject to procurement processes that maintain our obligations under trade, our obligations for open procurement, and, Mr. Speaker, I'm simply not in a position here today to say where we are at in this particular procurement process. I don't have it in front of me. As I said, this came in this morning. Happy to have it brought to my attention. It's not the first time I've had procurement...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 61)

Mr. Speaker, I wish to present to the House Bill 30, Supplementary Appropriations Act (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization) No. 1, 2025-2026, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 61)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to have one of the younger residents of Yellowknife South in the House today, young Finnigan Gosselin has been spending the day job shadowing with his mom. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 61)

Yes, Mr. Speaker, yes. Mr. Speaker, I've already had at least some introductory calls with counterparts in Ottawa, and I can say -- I'm happy to say that I already raised the Mackenzie Valley Highway as being a nation building project, correcting a critical part of Canada that is right now unconnected from the rest of Canada, multiple communities, an entire segment of this country has no connections on roads, and if we can't get barges in because of climate change, no connections really whatsoever other than by air, we can't have that. That's not the Canada of the future. It's not the building...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 61)

Mr. Speaker, today I want to speak about the Government of the Northwest Territories' new integrated approach to energy and climate change, and how the Department of Infrastructure's work on energy will help build a stronger, more affordable, and more resilient future for the territory.

Energy powers our communities, heats our homes, fuels our transportation, and propels businesses and the economy. But today, the Northwest Territories faces some of the highest energy costs in Canada, aging energy infrastructure, and increasing impacts from climate change. Our approach to energy must evolve.

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