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

Yellowknife South
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

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

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 31)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. It was executed back in 2023 so that would put us, I think, in the third year of its operation. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 31)

Mr. Speaker, the high cost of energy remains one of the greatest challenges for residents and businesses across the Northwest Territories. The realities of our northern environment only amplify these burdens. However, the GNWT is committed to alleviating these pressures through immediate relief and sustainable long-term solutions, paving the way for a more stable and affordable future for all Northerners. As we approach winter many communities, especially in our northernmost regions, face significant financial difficulties in heating their homes and paying their electricity bills. Most...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 31)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, certainly happy to provide more detail. Just in brief, there is some work that's being done in terms of the drainage, culverts, surface improvements. There's dips that are -- that become present and become in some cases very severe on this particular stretch of highway and all throughout, and so trying to smooth those out which sometimes seems like an endless task. But that's the overview of it. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 31)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am not the finance Minister for the federal government where the budget comes from. In consensus government and in this government, the Department of Finance provides policy directives. We try to do the monitoring of our financial situation, and we support departments when they bring forward their initiatives. We provide analysis of initiatives through our management board secretariat, who is an agency that benefits all of the financial management board. But when there are items that come from a department, they come forward to the financial management...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 31)

Sorry, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I've just lost the page that I'm looking for. So why don't I turn it to Ms. Bolstad. I think she has it in front of her.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 31)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, it's partial offset $1.35 million in federal support have come in, so the net to the GNWT is $2.15 million. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 31)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the main estimates are due out -- well, we've already gone through one round of them and the next ones aren't due out until, of course, the February sitting. It's not usually my practice or any other finance Minister's practice to discuss them in great detail before that happens. So our own processes this year are still underway in terms of building our budget, and so that directive remains in place. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 31)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, we were just outside of the warranty period, unfortunately. With respect to whether or not there might be an insurance claim, that, Mr. Chair, I think does remain something of an open question. You know, again, the decision to ultimately replace them was based on the fact of the concern for a risk, and so whether or not the insurance company will accept that as being an insurable risk or not, again I at this point can't say. That'll be up to the insurance company. But I don't think a final decision has been made on whether we will pursue that or not. Again...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 31)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, this one, again, and similarly the project is underway but there is a need to revise the timing of the delivery of the project. I do expect this one, similarly, will be completed in the fiscal year of 2027-2028. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 31)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I expect that the total cost of this will come in in and around $7 million. Thank you.