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.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I type quickly but not quite fast enough to find this in time. I think there is there are a variety of these provisions that allow public servants to take access. I mean, there's certainly special leave. There are as I said, there's a number of different leave provisions and I want to make sure I give accurate information here rather than just speaking off the cuff. So, Madam Speaker, again, I'm happy to provide information to this House, to the Member, about what different leave provisions would be available for public servants. Thank you.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, there's no planned cuts. I have no announcement to make here. There's not a moment of, you know, I get to say here's what's coming next. The plans that are in front of the public, the plans that I put forward, whether it's in budget dialogues, whether it's with this capital plan, there's no cuts to announce. I can't predict the future. I couldn't predict a $100 million flood any more than I could predict COVID. But what I can say, again, is we are trying to do what we can from within to manage our fiscal situation, to try to maintain the strong public...
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I conducted the budget dialogues this past spring and summer. When I did so, I presented to any member of the public who was interested the state of our funding, funds, the state of our fiscal situation, including operating surpluses, operating and capital expenses. I've put those informations before the public and received feedback on how people would like to see us moving forward in this government, whether it's through trying to increase revenues, whether it's through trying to decrease expenses or, frankly, a little bit of both. So I do want to...
Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, that Bill 70, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operation Expenditures), No. 2, 20222023, be read for the third time. Madam Speaker, I request a recorded vote. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, it's not my understanding that this extends to residential leases. Certainly if I am wrong about that, I will certainly correct myself going forward. And there was a second half to that question that has escaped me as I stood up. So I apologize, you might have to see if the Member wants to oh, damages. Damages, Madam Speaker; it's come back to me miraculously.
Madam Speaker, no, it wouldn't extend to damages. Again, it is really focused on property taxes and does generally extend to homeowners. So it is not well suited to dealing with arrears under...
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 131)
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I have fairly brief comments today. I did want to, however, acknowledge that in this particular budget, as in all budgets, both the main operating budget as well as capital, in consensus government we have an opportunity to engage in discussions that are, I think, expected, and that makes it, hopefully, more cordial than what it might be if it were what is a traditional minority government in southern Canada, or other parts of Canada rather. And because we expect the process to occur, there's some formalities to it. That doesn't mean the process doesn't improve...
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I certainly can provide that data. I don't have the number in front of me right now on the fly, but I can certainly commit to get that to the Member. And I'll have it before tomorrow if she wants to follow up on it. Thank you.
Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 69, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 20222023, be read for the second time. This bill makes supplementary appropriations for infrastructure expenditures of the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 20222023 fiscal year. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker, at the appropriate time today, I will table Changing the Relationship, the final action plan in response to the Calls for Justice on missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ peoples. At its core, this action plan is about relationships Our relationships with institutions, governments, people, and history.
The national inquiry examined the causes contributing to the ongoing violence and systematic vulnerabilities that continue to disproportionately affect Indigenous women, girls and two spirit persons. They found that the thousands of truths shared reinforce...
Madam Speaker, I wish to present to the House Bill 70, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 20222023, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
