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

Board of Management
Caroline Wawzonek
Yellowknife South
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Caroline_wawzonek@ntassembly.ca
Office
(867) 767-9143 (link is a phone number)
Extension
12177
Deputy Premier, Minister of Finance, Minister of Infrastructure, and Minister Responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation
Mobile
867-445-7437(link is a phone number)
Minister
Email
Caroline_wawzonek@gov.nt.ca

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 158)

Thank you, Madam Chair. So, Madam Chair, any changes to the capital plan from last year haven't been approved so there's nothing new available. Obviously, as new items are approved for - I mean, obviously if the supplementary appropriations get approved, then those changes can be made and they'd be - they could be reflected, but at this point it's difficult to make something public that's not yet actually a fact. Obviously as we go forward, every time there's a new capital plan that certainly has to be updated for that, you know, going forward this August when we have a new capital plan, the...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 158)

Madam Chair, thank you. I don't know that with certainty, so I don't want to surmise here. I just I'm showing a contract value. Now, whether there'd be some additional annual fee, I would anticipate so, but I don't have that here. So I will confirm, and we'll get back to committee. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 158)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, this will be an automatic carryover, and the communities can continue to apply for the money for their projects and we'll hold it for them pending their completion of those projects. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 158)

Mr. Courtoreille's doing well, Madam Chair. I'll turn it to him.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 158)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, with respect to project - sorry, let me turn that one to the deputy minister if I could, please. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 158)

Thank you, Madam Chair. So, Madam Chair, I understand at this point that in order to provide - or in order to request the contract or to do the procurement, they are looking at having a completion of the Mineral Resources Act regulations. And so in order for that to be completed - again, that is now on track to have - to be out and gazetted and doing section 35 consultations this coming fall, which would mean that in early 2024 that that final they'd be at a procurement stage.

I do understand, Madam Chair, that there's some effort to do things parallel as much as possible in the sense of some...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 158)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Like I said at the beginning, not dissimilar to other projects right now, supply chain issues did delay the initial procurement of materials. But, again, that was an early delay and it is now underway. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 158)

Madam Chair, if I might get - put this one to Mr. Courtoreille to give a more detailed explanation, please.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 158)

Thank you, Madam Chair. So that is $129,652,000.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 158)

This is continuing in the completion of the Mackenzie Valley fibre line between Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk, Madam Chair.