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 , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 113)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at this point the answer is no, that that has not been added or included specifically as an area where there might be some expansion of the leave packages. Obviously the leave packages are part of the bargaining process in the collective agreement. Right now, if there's specific health benefits or health treatments, those are done with approvals by a qualified medical practitioner. So in line with the questions that were asked earlier of the Department of Health, there won't be any sort of additional you know, we won't be seeking additional approvals if...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 113)

Mr. Speaker, this too has been the subject of the review itself and is subject of discussion amongst those participating in the various reviews, both during the review formally and since in terms of discussions with businesses and Indigenous governments. There's opportunities both for the potential for penalties. There's also potentially the opportunity for incentives. And I'm not going to commit one way or the other at this point. I'm not going to jump to the conclusion of where the review's going to go other than to say that there does need to be a way by where once an analysis has been done...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 113)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are Crown corporations who are not subject to the same procurement rules as the GNWT. For example, the NTPC does follow their own procurement rules. That said, they are guided and fairly closely align with what the GNWT does. So certainly I expect that they will benefit as well from the work that we are doing and can certainly follow my colleagues who are also responsible for the various corporations to see that we are working towards being as consistent with one with the other as possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 113)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is a fairly generous leave package that has a number of different ways by which employees are able to take leave, both paid leave/unpaid leave, and the focus and the intent is that individuals have an opportunity to look at what their particular needs and circumstances are and can then apply to their supervisor for applicable leave. There's not a specific section within that particular for fertility benefits or fertility treatments. But, again, you know, the idea here that I'm trying to get at with that is that although we don't have that specifically...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 112)

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following five documents: Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 2219(2): Report on Telecommunications; Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 2319(2): Report on the Review of a 201819 and 201920 Public Accounts; Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 2119(2): Report on the Government of the Northwest Territories Approach to the Mining Regime Fiscal Review; Northwest Territories Business Development and Investment Corporation 202223 Corporate Plan and; Annual Report...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 112)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in a word, yes. I have found we've appeared in front of standing committee now numerous times on different parts of the process. The Mineral Resources Act regs generally but also on royalties specifically. And those are fruitful. They're helpful. In the one case, it resulted in changes to one of the discussion papers. So, yes, most certainly, Mr. Speaker, happy to make that commitment.

And I want to note, Mr. Speaker, it was pointed out that one of the Members of IGCS had attended the briefing. It's not the usual process here that other Members would...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 112)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm glad that my title has been corrected. I do feel better standing up with the right name for the right Minister.

On this matter, Mr. Speaker, firstly, there are a number of different things happening in terms of what's happening with the Mineral Resources Act regulations.

Firstly, with respect to the royalties portion, as the Member's already mentioned, it's a complex thing that's being developed right now. That element was opened back in February. Comments are welcome until July the 29th for public engagement. That was extended from April the 22nd all...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 112)

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, May 30th, 2022, I will present Bill 53, An Act to Amend the Liquor Act, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 112)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, Mr. Speaker, with respect to public engagement, there's a standard position which is that any operational or any draft regulations get no less than 30 days, and that's that will certainly be abided by that guideline. But, Mr. Speaker, it's my intention that we'll be going on for longer than that.

It is, you know, as I've been saying, and as been said here by others, these are complex regulations; they are going to require more time. So they'll be posted to the engagement website as usual. Information will go out through social media as well as through other more...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 112)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I said, this is an extremely complex piece of legislation that's going to be enacted and as a result, the regulations themselves also are unusually complex, and we are always being mindful at every step, again, of the process and of the work that's taking place with the IGCS.

Mr. Speaker, I can say, and in keeping in mind the rules that we have here in a consensus government, that back on May the 12th we did provide a list of the research documents completed as of that time to standing committee and, certainly, if there are documents within that that...