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

Caroline Wawzonek
Yellowknife South
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

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

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 118)

In favour.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 118)

Mr. Speaker, today is the thirdyear anniversary of the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. I wish to honour the Indigenous women and girls and genderdiverse people who have lost their lives or who have experienced or continue to experience trauma and violence.

Mr. Speaker, most people in the Northwest Territories, and certainly everyone in this room, knows someone who has attended a residential or day school, whose grandparent lost a family member during the 50s and 60s tuberculosis outbreak, or whose sibling was taken away during the 60s...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 118)

The Member for Range Lake.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 117)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I don't have the breakdown or the details of the project specifically here. What we have in front of us here, really just information about carryovers or lapses. But, so I don't think so. I will confirm that and let the Member know. But my understanding and recollection of this project is that it was being specially designed. It was specially designed to be CFIA compliant and under the sort of the watchful eyes of Memorial University who had some specialty in this area. So with all that, I know that they were looking largely at new things and new equipment...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 117)

I'll direct that to the deputy secretary, please.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 117)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, there's a couple of different reasons for it. Approximately $1.8 million is due to increased costs of equipment, and that in itself is in turn due to the changes globally right now. It's a specialized equipment, and it's being impacted by the supply chain delays and being impacted by the costs on some of the basic components that go into the equipment.

There is additional amounts increased as a result of change orders. There were some delays in this project as you might recall, and as time is going on, it does seem like all costs are rising rather quickly...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 117)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, let me take that one away. I will say we have changed the way we report on materials and information over the last few years, and I will go and have some conversations about what is here, what reasons there may be for and against, and get back to the House with that information.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 117)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, my understanding at this point is that this is still at a strategic stage and as such, I don't expect it entirely guarantees the full delivery of the new system. That said, it is certainly an important and critical sort of step in that regard. So I do expect to hear more from this over the next year, certainly over the life of this government. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 117)

Thank you, Madam Chair. So if I'm understanding correctly, just the idea of trying to show the lapsing rather than showing only the carryovers and in a different manner, or. I'm not entirely sure, Madam Chair, I apologize as to how to solve this problem for the Member.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 117)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, so this is being yes, it is being transferred over to ITI because the complexity of the Mineral Resources Act regulations and what is being entailed there on the electronic side makes most sense to have the two working handinhand. So, you know, looking to have the two come together one in the same time. I'm not sure if we have a date here necessarily. If we do, I'm sure someone's going to give it to me in a moment. But my understanding is that the intention is that the two projects are working in tandem.

It's more than just online map staking, Madam Chair...