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

Board of Management
Caroline Wawzonek
Yellowknife South
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Email
Office
(867) 767-9143
Extension
12177
Deputy Premier, Minister of Finance, Minister of Infrastructure, and Minister Responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation
Mobile
867-445-7437
Minister
Email
Email

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 1st Session (day 3)

I just want to clarify, Madam Chair, when the city bill was received generally.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 1st Session (day 3)

In the interest of time, Madam Chair, I'll just turn it over to Mr. Koe.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 1st Session (day 3)

Thank you, Madam Chair. There is an increase in the Norman Wells mill rates. With respect to the opening of the Norman Wells Health Centre, that does include some of the additional increase, $52,000. As well, there are some other assets within the Yellowknife region where, again owing to the change in rate, the assessment values also rose. That accounts, I believe, for the remainder of the full amount being sought on the supplementary appropriation. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 1st Session (day 3)

Thank you, Madam Chair. I acknowledge the Member's comments, and, certainly, to the extent that there needs to be a better review, we certainly share that. It doesn't eliminate the fact that, unfair, unfortunately, we are at a situation now that the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, MACA, does not have this money available to it within its budget, short of the current supplementary bill that is for consideration at present.

The Department of Finance is going to be working with MACA to the extent possible to help ensure that mitigation measures or that better measures are in place to...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 1st Session (day 3)

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Member indicated that the frustration is on the one side of the Assembly. I suspect it is on all sides of the Assembly. I certainly share the frustrations sitting here, as well. What I would like to say on behalf of the Department of Finance is that we intend to start now as we mean to go on and to be fiscally responsible but to, as I have said, use this as an opportunity to do better. That is where, we mentioned earlier in my very brief introductory comment, that, by doing some four-year plans, year-over-year plans, it is our hope that each department is in a...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 1st Session (day 3)

[Microphone turned off] turned out to in fact have somebody find it. I am delaying somewhat in trying to look quickly, but I don't remember [microphone turned off] in one of the charts provided at Tab 1 that we provided to the committee yesterday. I don't know if Members have this with them or not.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 1st Session (day 3)

As mentioned, this is Mr. Sandy Kalgutkar, deputy minister of Finance, and Mr. Jamie Koe, whose title has just changed, deputy secretary (Board of Management.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 1st Session (day 3)

Thank you, Madam Chair. I will shortly just turn it over to Mr. Kalgutkar. My ability to speak to infrastructure is quite limited. Perhaps, in the interests of time, I will just go straight to Mr. Kalgutkar.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 1st Session (day 3)

Yes, Madam Chair.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 1st Session (day 3)

Thank you again, Madam Chair. I am here to present the Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization) No. 3, 2019-2020. The supplementary estimates document consists of two items, as follows:

$4.5 million for the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs for increased grant-in-lieu of property tax payments to municipal taxation authorities under the Grants-in-Lieu of Property Taxes Policy. This increase is the result of increases to the assessment values for the City of Yellowknife. A significant portion of the increase is due to the new Stanton Territorial...