Caroline Wawzonek

Member Yellowknife South

Deputy Premier
Minister of Finance
Minister of Infrastructure
Minister Responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation

Caroline Wawzonek was first elected to the 19th Legislative Assembly in 2019 as the Member for Yellowknife South. Ms. Wawzonek served as Minister of Justice,  Minster of Finance, Minister responsible for the Status of Women and the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. In 2023, Ms. Wawzonek was acclaimed to the 20th Legislative Assembly and returned to Executive Council as Deputy Premier, Minister of Finance, Minister of Infrastructure and the Minister Responsible for the NWT Power Corporation.
 
Ms. Wawzonek holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Calgary (2000) and a law degree from the University of Toronto, Faculty of Law (2005). Her academic journey included language studies in China and Taiwan, as well as legal internships in the Philippines and England. Born in Calgary, AB, she has called Yellowknife home since 2007.
 
After establishing her criminal law practice post-admission to the Law Society of the NWT, Ms. Wawzonek appeared in all levels of NWT courts and engaged in circuit court travel. She later joined Dragon Toner, expanding her practice to general litigation and administrative law until becoming a member of the 19th Assembly.
 
Since 2007, she has taken on leadership roles in the legal community, including the presidency of the Law Society of the Northwest Territories (LSNT), section chair for the Canadian Bar Association Northwest Territories Branch (CBA-NT), and committee membership in various working groups. Her community involvement extends to appointments in multiple Yellowknife organizations, and she received a national award in 2017 for her contributions to Canadian Women in Law.
 
Ms. Wawzonek, a mother of two, enjoys running, paddleboarding, and time outdoors.
 

Committees

Board of Management
Yellowknife South
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Email
Office
(867) 767-9143
Extension
12177
Deputy Premier, Minister of Finance, Minister of Infrastructure, and Minister Responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation
Mobile
867-445-7437
Minister
Email
Email

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 149)

Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. So it goes through the same process as every other department would in terms of going to FMB and being analyzed by management board secretariat. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 149)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, Madam Chair, I mean, that's I mean, my first reaction is that's interesting. And not to make it too simple of an answer but I don't have a good answer right now on the fly, and I think it actually is one that does deserve a bit more of an answer and one that might, you know just more of us going and looking back. I mean, there are certainly restrictions and rules around, you know, even sales of liquor as well as sales of cannabis. I'm certainly hearing, you know, different aspects of that issue in the Northwest Territories, whether or not to regulate a different...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 149)

That's correct, Madam Chair.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 149)

Madam Chair, I'm going to have the deputy minister describe the fund, please.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 149)

Thank you, Madam Chair. So, again, it's yes, I mean, I'm not sure if we're going to get past this, Madam Chair. So 7.6 is just it's a budget estimate and in 14, it is where we are at in terms of the revenue forecast. I suggest let me try one more time if I can get Mr. Courtoreille to just walk through the math, both of the 7.6 of how we calculate it, and then compared to the math on how we calculate at page 14, please.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 149)

Thank you, Madam Chair. That project is led by the Tlicho government. So the funding that you see there back in 20212022 was to help them in terms of supporting their design and planning services. But then beyond that, it is a project led by the Tlicho government. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 149)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, on my left is deputy minister Bill MacKay. And on my right is deputy secretary to the financial management board Terence Courtoreille.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 149)

Madam Chair, let's hand this to Mr. Courtoreille, please.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 149)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, there is a health working group jointly populated by the UNW and human resources, or Department of Finance. And there are regular meetings a variety of regular meetings between the Department of Finance and UNW and I am told that it's at an officials' level but that that is a standing item specific to the idea of recruitment services, health recruitment. It's a standing item at those meetings. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 149)

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am pleased to present the 20232024 Main Estimates for the Department of Finance. These estimates support the mandate objectives for the Department of Finance, while continuing to meet the Government of the Northwest Territories' fiscal objectives to prioritize responsible and strategic spending.

Overall, the department's main estimates propose an increase of $16.29 million, which is 5.1 percent over the 20222023 Main Estimates.

Highlights of the proposed main estimates include:

A $927,000 reduction to contract budgets in order to better align funding with actual...