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.
Yes, I propose to bring in two of them for the general comments, which I expect might be more technical on the one side and then switch them out as need be when we get to the Department of Finance, please. Minister and Terence Courtoreille, please.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 83)
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I do believe that that is going forward, and I was just looking for the explanation thereof. It's one of those and my other favorite word is amortization of the assets. So because we have that value now added in, we do amortize assets in the budget and so that is what you're seeing there.
And so that is going to be ongoing. Again, the actual outflow of any expenditures wouldn't be until the expense has actually occurred at the end of the life of the asset. Thanks, Madam Chair.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 83)
Thank you, Madam Chair. So I think really more of the Minister of ITI and not really so much as the Minister of Finance.
I am very committed to the Mineral Resources Act regulatory development. I've been pushing hard to see that it's on track and to see that it involves a lot of engagement. It's going to be improved with the more stakeholders and the more people are involved in terms of discussing it. I'm I do think the Member will hopefully agree that we've had a lot of outreach on a lot of aspects on the Mineral Resources Act thus far, and I'm happy to continue to do that. Thanks, Madam...
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 83)
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, yes, I did forget that there were cost changes as a result of partly COVID-19, partly supply chain, one impacting the other. And of course those are estimates. They may well turn out not to be as high as anticipated.
I know that there has been funding identified thus far from projects that aren't advancing -- are not advancing as quickly as anticipated. I don't have the specifics on that at -- handy, but on those specific projects, I think, again, Ms. Salvador, I suspect will know exactly which projects that are seeing the transfer of funds to meet that...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following five documents: Report of the Procurement Review Panel - Review of the Government of Northwest Territories Procurement Policies; The Northwest Territories Liquor and Cannabis Commission 67th Annual Report 2020-2021; The Northwest Territories Liquor Licensing Board 67th Annual Report 2020-2021; Inter-Activity Transfers Exceeding $250,000 (April 1st to June 30th, 2021); and, The Northern Employee Benefits Services (NEBS) Pension Plan Annual Report for the Year Ended December 31st, 2020. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 83)
Thank you, Madam Chair. Yeah, this one, I'll be frank, is not my favorite one to have to explain. It does go directly to the public accounts and to the public accounting standards, and there's been a now change within the public accounting standards that requires that asset retirement obligations be booked in a way that they weren't before.
So there does need to be as a result of that what is a onetime adjustment to the capital estimates. That's the $70 million that you're seeing. And what that does is it's providing a way of reporting on the to the public in the books what is anticipated to...
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 83)
Thank you, Madam Chair. So Madam Chair, the MARS project for one of the more significant aspects of it certainly is to bring online staking to the Northwest Territories, which really brings us up to par on something that we are rather painfully behind on, that allows for a much more efficient system and a much more efficient process for those that are actually out doing the staking and for prospectors will hopefully, as I said, bring us into the modern age but also encourage those who are out to be doing to be out and doing the prospecting. It allows for more efficient management of the...
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 83)
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, on your right is Pamela Strand, deputy minister for Industry, Tourism and Investment. And on your left is Nina Salvador who is the director of finance and administration.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 83)
Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm happy to provide the breakdown, certainly.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 83)
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, this is chief information officer Rick Wind.
