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, 1st Session (day 3)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Even at present, this is probably a few days old. The current forecast of the department is to be in a slight decrease in overall cash flow by the end of the fiscal. What we are able to have repaid will depend very much on what revenues we are able to get back in.

I can assure the Member that the request to make this part of the short-term borrowing limit would stand only until the end of the fiscal year. To the extent that there would be a total increase in the short-term borrowing limit, that may well be changed significantly in time for the next fiscal strategy so...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 1st Session (day 3)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I am hesitant always to put other departments on the spot, but I would certainly expect that we likely have that information within Finance, and so, to the extent that I can provide some further chronology on when that taxation information was received, the Department of Finance will certainly endeavour to see what information we have .

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 1st Session (day 3)

Madam Chair, that's correct. The number that we settled on in terms of coming forward to the Assembly is one that we thought was certainly as low as possible, but while retaining sufficient flexibility, looking at the projected cash flows from now to the end of just this fiscal year, again.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 1st Session (day 3)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Finance does attempt to pay all vendors within 30 days, which I would suggest is really an industry standard. It allows an opportunity to due diligence on the materials that are presented in support of an invoice, in addition to which the goal in fact is to pay BIP members or BIP businesses within 20 days, a standard that we are working towards. So that is the rationale, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 1st Session (day 3)

Thank you, Madam Chair. There are a number of contributing factors that are impacting on the cash flow, as we have identified them quite recently. For one, simply put, there was a much lower starting point from what had been projected; outstanding receivables from the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority for repayment of their payroll, $117 million; the collective agreement resulted in increases to overall GNWT payroll, and that has impacted on the cash flow estimates; the delay in terms of federal funding that is received and that will be coming in as revenue but that...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 1st Session (day 3)

I just want to clarify, Madam Chair, when the city bill was received generally.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 1st Session (day 3)

In the interest of time, Madam Chair, I'll just turn it over to Mr. Koe.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 1st Session (day 3)

Thank you, Madam Chair. There is an increase in the Norman Wells mill rates. With respect to the opening of the Norman Wells Health Centre, that does include some of the additional increase, $52,000. As well, there are some other assets within the Yellowknife region where, again owing to the change in rate, the assessment values also rose. That accounts, I believe, for the remainder of the full amount being sought on the supplementary appropriation. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 1st Session (day 3)

Thank you, Madam Chair. I acknowledge the Member's comments, and, certainly, to the extent that there needs to be a better review, we certainly share that. It doesn't eliminate the fact that, unfair, unfortunately, we are at a situation now that the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, MACA, does not have this money available to it within its budget, short of the current supplementary bill that is for consideration at present.

The Department of Finance is going to be working with MACA to the extent possible to help ensure that mitigation measures or that better measures are in place to...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 1st Session (day 3)

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Member indicated that the frustration is on the one side of the Assembly. I suspect it is on all sides of the Assembly. I certainly share the frustrations sitting here, as well. What I would like to say on behalf of the Department of Finance is that we intend to start now as we mean to go on and to be fiscally responsible but to, as I have said, use this as an opportunity to do better. That is where, we mentioned earlier in my very brief introductory comment, that, by doing some four-year plans, year-over-year plans, it is our hope that each department is in a...