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.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I don't know that I have federal money allotted to this as of yet. Certainly there are always chances to go and ask but, at this point, Madam Chair, I don't - there's no indication at this point that we have federal dollars attached to it and given that we don't have a final budget, I think it would be arguably premature to go and ask just yet. If we're going to ask, let's know what we're asking for. Thanks, Madam Chair.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 158)
Thank you, Madam Chair. So, Madam Chair, there certainly are some projects that may not have advanced in 20222023 that have not necessarily been removed from the infrastructure acquisition plan and may then still be on that plan, which I would draw a difference of when we see the capital estimates and - so they may - again, we may be adjusting the capital estimates from 20222023 but still seeing a project on the infrastructure acquisition plan. I'll pause there, but I can also turn it to Mr. Courtoreille if the Member would like to have a greater detailed example or detailed description. Thank...
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 158)
Thank you, Madam Chair. And, Madam Chair, I was thinking, just to be clear, earlier the spending is happening this summer, which is the 20232024 spend, and it is expected at this point that that will be a sufficient amount to move us to a point with regulatory permitting, engagement, design, etcetera, will be done this summer.
Madam Chair, you know, with respect to the Infrastructure Cooperation Agreement, numbers do at times may come in higher but that is anticipated and that is certainly with respect to procurement, often said and often argued, that some additional costs reflective of the...
Mr. Speaker, I wish to present to the House Bill 92, An Act to Amend the Petroleum Products and Carbon Tax Act, No. 3, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 158)
Thank you, Madam Chair. So, Madam Chair, let me just briefly again, I - I'm sorry, I don't have a o'clock in my line of sight but I - the reason this is the first time coming in is prior to now, what we were anticipating is that this would actually ultimately be an operations expense and it would have gone as a design and build to an external proponent. If that had been the case, then the work would have been undertaken this summer by the external proponent. And it would have shown up later in operations budget of the GNWT. Now that said, because it hasn't gone that way, which is fine, we will...
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 158)
Madam Chair, let me turn that one to Mr. Courtoreille, please.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 158)
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, let me go to Mr. Courtoreille and see if he can - if he has a breakdown available and if not, we can provide it to committee. Thank you.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 158)
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I don't disagree. And so I actually have made a note just to follow up on where this will be proceeding. I mean, and the TICA is certainly very - I think hopefully fairly progressive approach to procurement but it's also a fairly new one, and so you know, whether we're going to use that process or another, we at some point do not want to see any further delays on this. Thank you.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 158)
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I have a schedule here before me but I think I'll want to be cautious. I know that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment has been in Tuktoyaktuk recently and that representatives from infrastructure have been in Tuktoyaktuk recently looking at the school, looking at the progress that's being made, and what I'd like to suggest here, because there's active work happening and there's work actively happening to try to resolve some delays, so rather than reiterate information that might already be dated, I would like to work with the Member and the...
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 158)
Madam Chair, you'd only see carry over if the amounts that were previously approved were not fully spent. So, again, if there's no need for a carryover, you wouldn't necessarily see it here, but it certainly hasn't disappeared from the infrastructure acquisition plan, and then it would reappear on the capital estimates coming through for 20242025 later this year. Thank you.
