Member Yellowknife South

Deputy Premier
Minister of Finance
Minister Responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation
Minister Responsible for Strategic Infrastructure, Energy and Supply Chains

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,  Minister 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

Caroline Wawzonek
Yellowknife South
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Extension
12177
Deputy Premier, Minister of Finance, Minister of Infrastructure, and Minister Responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 163)

The short answer is yes, Madam Chair. I think there's a fairly good network around Canada between different jurisdictions, depending on the needs of any particular wildfire season or at any particular point within the wildfire season. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 163)

Yes, please, Madam Chair.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 163)

Madam Chair, I'm going to go on a limb here based on all of the information I've seen over the last few weeks is that we're not ready to necessarily make concrete plans in response to the current wildfire season and that the afteraction reviews that have been spoken about already in the House are, you know, underway but certainly far from complete. So that question will have to probably wait until that process is complete. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 163)

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following four documents: What We Heard Affirmative Action Policy Review; Public Service Annual Report 2022/2023; 69th Annual Report 20222023 Northwest Territories Liquor Licensing Board; and, the 69th Annual Report 20222023 Northwest Territories Liquor and Cannabis Commission. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 163)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I still have the deputy Minister of Finance with me, and I'm now joined by Dr. Erin Kelly who is the deputy minister for Environment and Climate Change.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 163)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, since 2017 the level of engagement with respect to the Mineral Resource Act, and then now the mineral resource regulations, has been extensive. In particular, of course, and leading that work has been with the Intergovernmental Council and the technical working group there, and the status report I want to put before the House will detail all of those meetings, including some of the hours that were spent on some of those meetings.

Mr. Speaker, between now and the election, there's not anything that is out for public review. The process the policy documents...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 163)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I understand that early access to this gym and a school, rather, at this point as quickly as possible it does remain a priority, which is why it is given the new November 1st date. And in the interim, there's been a phasing of some temporary classrooms that are adjusted in order to continue instruction. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 163)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the extent of the work the Member's quite right, the extent of the work to see the implementation to the Mineral Resources Act is extraordinary. It is huge. And I'm happy to say I will be putting forward to the House a full summary status report detailing all the different pieces, all of what's been worked on with the technical working group, with the Intergovernmental Council and in order to show a pathway that we're on and where we would what we've achieved over the last four years. There is quite a lot that has been done. I will have that tabled in the...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 163)

Yes, please, Madam Chair.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 163)

Thank you, Madam Chair. So, Madam Chair, I do have, I believe, the project here of $36 million. This was it was from prior years. We still have $2.5 million is what we're asking for the current plan that's before the House right now. This was a major renovation. This was intended to be, you know, really a place that has a mezzanine area, the gym viewing, a gym a new gym with, say, all bells and whistles, a career and technology building. It was meant to be the kind of flagship place that students want to go to school. It was something Madam Chair, I don't think anyone disagrees with the...