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 , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 33)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We certainly can produce that. The information that's presented in this format wouldn't necessarily show it the way that I think the Member's looking at. So we'll produce that. And I think just better than that is I propose I'll probably table it in the House since that does seem like information that would be valuable. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 33)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, Mr. Chair, assistant deputy Jenkins does indicate what we are told is that they're getting started this year, so I'll -- we'll go back and see if we can't get something more definitive from the partners that sit at that table, and then we'd be more than happy to follow up or at least give an update if I'm waiting on someone else for information. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 33)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, on my left I have Robert Jenkins who is an assistant deputy minister with the Department of Infrastructure. And on my right, I have Celeste MacKay who is an assistant deputy minister in the Department of Infrastructure.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 33)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm certainly happy to do that. So this project obviously represents a pretty significant potential in infrastructure investment. At this stage, the project is focused on planning as far as Lockhart All-Season Road. That would take from the end -- what is now the end of the Ingraham Trail, commonly known thereof as Ingraham Trail or Highway No. 4, all the way up to Lockhart Lake, and the funding that is here right now would get as far as having a regulatory application in 2025-2026 in order to begin an environmental assessment.

This certainly has been around, as I said...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 33)

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nunakput, that Bill 14, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, be read for the second time.

This bill makes supplementary appropriations for operations expenditures of the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 33)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, this project is a retrofit of the existing location. The Member -- yes, quite correctly, there was originally back -- way back, 2016, looking at replacing the camp, and there was funding back at that time to do so. There was some challenges in that the first site that they landed upon was determined to actually not be suitable for this kind of camp based on the geotechnical and the investigation of the area and, unfortunately, no new sites could be identified in the area that were both compatible with the technical needs, compatible with what was required for...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 33)

Mr. Speaker, I wish to present to the House Bill 14, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2024-2025, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 33)

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nunakput that Bill 13 -- supplementary -- oh okay, now I'm like all flustered.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that Bill 13, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2024-2025, be read for the third time. Mr. Speaker, I request a recorded vote. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 33)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, this project certainly was -- did get to -- or was delayed over the last short while. I can say that at this point there's been some positive developments that at this point we are working with the Tlicho-Kiewit partnership, and it is expected that there's going to be a start-up project -- start-up discussions have already begun. This -- for this year, this concurrent year, there's a production of aggregate underway and the next stages would have an estimated completion date -- I believe the construction itself will start in 2026, so in the next fiscal, with a...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 33)

Mr. Speaker, this has the ring of a Minister's statement. There's so much that really needs to be said in this space. The territory has a population that is not reflected in the public service right now and arguably never has been, so we need to get to a place where that changes. I can only imagine that that impedes people's morale. That would make certainly sense to me if you don't feel -- see yourself reflected around you or in the services that you are receiving as a resident. So I want to reflect that first as just understanding the gravity and importance of this.

It also -- if we can get...