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 41)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Not locum physicians if that's what you're seeking. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 41)

There are, Mr. Chair. It's in the financial administration manual. I would suggest directing that to the deputy minister for some detail, please.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 41)

Yes.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 41)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And, Mr. Chair, I'm happy to have the chance to say that we didn't necessarily, you know, lose money, but the budget was reduced in the hopes that they'd be able to move forward a little faster in terms of getting this -- getting a project off the ground that can reduce our lease space.

Currently, there are 72 percent of the total GNWT lease space is leased. There is 107 individual leases across all regions of the territory. Now, whether or -- the degree to which those are all individual, we have 82 with northern landlords, or 38 percent of our space; 25 of these leases...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 41)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, for this one, there certainly are some shortfalls being projected. Mr. Chair, let me direct that one over to the deputy minister and see if he can get that level of detail. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 41)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So the -- some of the things that contribute to the credit rating, and the credit rating is what then allows us to then borrow at a good rate, have been things that have been cited, when I review them every -- whenever they come up with their updates, is the existence of the territorial formula financing from which we receive 70 percent of our revenues, so the fact that that exists and is relatively stable. And, you know, add to that the fact that another 10 or so percent of our revenues continue to also come from federal pots. Obviously, a little more variability, for...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 41)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is standard practice for utilities everywhere in the country that there's not any provisions whereby they would compensate customers who might find themselves in circumstances if they have some damages so there's no difference here with NTPC. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 41)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, there's a couple of factors that can be -- that can result in the increase. First is there is -- well, primarily is that there was -- there was and continues to be a plan to reduce the overall lease footprint and to get to a place where we have less footprint and therefore less costs, and that was being built in. Unfortunately, some of that work is taking a little longer to get to, and as a result so while they have reduced the budget for leases, they ultimately found that there was base rent, then base rent escalations by landlords and also operations and...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 41)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I can tell you that with respect to the public health nurses, there were seven nurses involved. Community health had two staff involved. Public health practitioners had two folks involved. There was a physician -- one physician involved, lab technologists involved, two laboratory clerks involved, one medical radiation technologist involved. Obviously, some of those individuals, this is not necessarily full-time work and wouldn't -- would likely have required some additional efforts and additional time and staffing in order to manage the expanding workload. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 41)

That is accurate, Mr. Chair. Thank you.