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, 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...
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...
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...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't to the best of my knowledge, we don't do exit interviews with residents as to reasons for their departure. I can say that the mining sector, who are also quite keen to keep their residents or keep their employees here in the North, they do do some work in this space. So what I will do, Mr. Speaker, is just check back with the statistics bureau, see if there are what data we do have around departures.
I know that questions earlier this week looked at our immigration and were looking at the growth of population. And it really has been sort of...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And without knowing exactly what measures are being referred to, I am assuming that this is in reference to the fact that Alberta is offering some money to folks to offset the fuel, as is the Yukon. And again, I have said this earlier in the House, Alberta stands to benefit from the rising fuel costs so it is not really the kind of comparison that is fair to be made here in terms of, you know, considering that we have to ensure that we are able to provide programs and services across departments to every community, to every resident in the Northwest Territories. And the...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have to thank the Member. “Extractivism” is a word that I have not come across before.
But with respect to maximizing profit, Mr. Speaker, that is the whole point of designing a royalty regime and really the entire mineral resources regulatory regime that is made in the North and for the North. That's why we are really proud of the work being done at the IGC, with the legislative protocol that's there, so that when we have completed this process we can say that what we have in the North is made in the North, for the North, that we are, you know, walking...
