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
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, 2nd Session (day 164)

Thank you, Madam Chair. DFO, or the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans has the jurisdiction over waterways, so they control the access and control the that parcel of not land, but that area is under their authority and administration. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 164)

Thank you, Madam Chair. So, I mean, this is right now in the 20242025 plan. So we are there's already crushing happening this year with significant expenditure for the 20242025 plan which, yes, is I mean, that's when it will begin. I don't know if the Member's looking for an exact month, I don't have that in front of me. If she'd like a month, I could see if ADM Brennan has that. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 164)

To Mr. Martin, please.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 164)

I'll turn that to Mr. Heath, please.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 164)

Thank you, Madam Chair. There have been a few delays with some of the work happening in the North Arm Park. Madam Chair, this was one of the earlier projects that was going through under the Tlicho infrastructure the agreement that is with the Tlicho government with respect to procurement and work undertaken on Tlicho lands. So that process just took, therefore, a little bit longer to go through procurement because trying to work under a new program and to do so in a way that was respectful of maximizing that, it just took a bit longer in the first few goes. But it is for this particular...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 164)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Let me go to ADM Brennan. He'll know, I hope, of the exact numbers or the exact cost sharing ratio. Thank you.

Committee Motion 469-19(2): Tabled Document 973-19(2): 2024-2025 Capital Estimates – Deferral of Estimates, Carried
Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 164)

No, Madam Chair, this is not new money to spend. This is the ability and the authority to borrow money to pay the bills that we already have. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 164)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I can say we have departments of ITI, infrastructure, lands have all been involved, and the Stantec professional engineers out of Vancouver who do marine assessments are the ones that were involved. So I am hopeful that the information we get to the Member will allay his concerns. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 164)

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, it is still you know, would certainly be my hope that we'd actually be able to get compensation for any repair work as a warranty on the bridge. Obviously that, or some form of insurance on the bridge. I don't have a final on that. The issues arose only just this summer. What and then the so the final completion of any repairs will be in June of 2024. But as I think the Member has previously mentioned or the Minister has previously mentioned, there was certainly work done adequate to ensure the safety of the bridge for continued usage and passage made...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 164)

Madam Chair, I'm not sure if we have an occupancy list necessarily with respect to planning, but if we do let me see if we can get it. I'm just conscious of the time. We certainly can provide that if we don't have it handy. Thank you.