Caroline Wawzonek

Députée de Yellowknife Sud

Circonscription électorale de Yellowknife Sud 

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

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
Mobile
Ministre

Déclarations dans les débats

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 5)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Interestingly, as I understand it, right now at the airport in Fort Smith, they are, in fact, using the grader and snow blower and other machinery, and that by investing with funds that are fully offset by Transport Canada, they will actually be freeing up the machinery to do other work in the community. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following two documents, “Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2019-2020,” and “Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 4, 2019-2020.” Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 5)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Our environmental assessment takes us to the Nunavut border. As I said earlier, there is going to be, most likely, some partnership ongoing with Nunavut on the Kitikmeot side, but that that portion of it would be, I presume, under their jurisdiction to manage.

The viability of this project and the importance of this project to the Northwest Territories relates entirely to the possibility and the potential within the Northwest Territories. There are believed to be tremendous mineral resources within the Slave Geologic area. This is an opportunity to, in fact, study this...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 5)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Certainly, as I mentioned, in order to have this project being shovel-ready, it will require baseline studies to understand the current situation facing the wildlife in the area and in the region, as well as conducting whatever studies will be no doubt required for the environmental assessment process that I expect would be required for this kind of level of project. That part of the money will be going precisely to do that, to engage in that process, to engage in that study, to ensure that we have the baseline data, and to ensure that we are prepared, going forward...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 5)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, there was. In order to partake in the Trade Corridors Fund, there was a complete business case assessment done. It was my understanding that quite a bit of that information was shared during the last Assembly, but I'm sure that what was sent to prior committees can be resent to the current committees as they are constituted, so that the information about the business case can be provided.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 5)

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am aware that there have been studies compiled and work has been done. I would just like to confirm what stage those numbers are at in terms of their publication. As I said, I can confirm that this is a $40-million estimate for phase 1 of the project. There are other phases to the project, and I'll just confirm the status of those numbers and, if I can release them, I certainly will. I apologize. I'm not familiar enough with where those studies are at.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 5)

Thank you, Madam Chair. This is the contribution of the GNWT towards the project. A larger proportion of the amount is being funded by the federal government under the National Trade Corridors Fund. This was a successful application by the Government of the Northwest Territories for this partnership with the federal government and, as a totality, this part of the Slave Geologic Province will fund quite a number of things. There will be the initial environmental assessment, which will include studies of everything ranging potentially from water, water use, water quality, wildlife, permafrost...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 5)

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have a little more faith in the system, perhaps, insofar as the nature of the three protected areas is such that they are investments by the Government of the Northwest Territories as well as the federal government, and in partnership with the Indigenous communities and Indigenous governments of those areas; so I am perhaps a little bit more optimistic as to their future and the future partnerships between the governments.

I can note for the Member that Environment and Natural Resources is continuing ongoing research into the long-term planning in order to make sure...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 5)

Thank you, Madam Chair. There are three jet boats and one truck that are being purchased for the operations and management of three Indigenous and territorial protected areas, the Thaidene Nene, the Ts'ude niline Tu'eyeta -- I am looking over this way for some help -- and Dinaga Wek'ehodi. I will practice over the course of Indigenous Languages Month, Madam Chair.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 4)

The maximum fine of $25,000 is actually among the highest in all of the country. To my knowledge, there are only two provinces or territories that have significantly higher fines, and a third, namely Quebec, that has a fine set at $29,000. We are in line with what is happening in other jurisdictions.