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 , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 42)

CIBC, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 42)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, two staff are being added to FESS, so that is the division that supports public servants with -- including with medical travel assistance. And, you know, definitely the intent there being with two additional people on that that will be an opportunity to help ensure that people are having more timely assistance. You know, again, Mr. Chair, there's -- I will say there's also work happening in the Department of Health and Social Services. We do rely on referrals from them to come over to us, to FESS, and, you know, have had some conversations around wanting to ensure...

Question 478-20(1): Homelessness Strategy Objectives
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 42)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at this point there certainly has been some slippage in that timeline but it's owing, in part, due to some of the unanticipated challenges of truly working with the partners in this space. So I understand that there's significant efforts underway to work with NGOs and with Indigenous governments, community governments, others who are working collaboratively to ensure that the individual targets are appropriate to their communities so wanting to ensure that the ultimate timeline is aligned with the work that is happening on the ground. And so with that, it's...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 42)

No, thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 42)

No, Mr. Chair.

Bill 19: Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 20242025, Carried
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 42)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that Bill 19, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2024-2025, be read for the second time.

This bill makes supplementary appropriations for infrastructure expenditures at the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 42)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. If that is the interest received, Mr. Chair, we had in 2023 -- I don't know that I have the -- well, I don't have the 2024-2025 actuals yet, Mr. Chair, but I can say we have revised upwards on interest. Obviously interest rates were pretty high last year, so -- and we do have -- so we have -- yes, we've revised it as of this time as being $4.454 million. In 2023-2024, it was a lot lower but, again, interest rates were pretty high. So we do maintain right now a 75 percent bond amount and that -- so, I mean, again, depending on where those bonds are but when interest rates...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 42)

Mr. Chair, if I could start with the director -- the deputy, please.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 42)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So the budgeted line item of $6.1 million there has been that same value for -- well, some time anyways, but it is an estimate, and it is ultimately a projection, and it does depend a fair bit on what the state of the resource sector is doing and how healthy it is, and there can be quite a bit of fluctuation. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 42)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Actually, Mr. Chair, if I might send that one over to our director, please.