Latest news with #Wawzonek
CBC
31-03-2025
- Business
- CBC
N.W.T. premier creates new ministry for 'major, nation-building' infrastructure projects
N.W.T. Premier R.J. Simpson has made some changes to his cabinet, including the creation of a new portfolio focused on "major, nation-building" infrastructure projects in the territory. In a news release on Monday, Simpson said Finance Minister Caroline Wawzonek will take on the new role of minister responsible for strategic infrastructure, energy and supply chains. "This newly created role will provide focused political leadership for major, nation-building projects such as the Mackenzie Valley Highway, Slave Geological Province Corridor, and Taltson Hydroelectric Expansion," the news release states. "These initiatives are critical to advancing economic growth, energy security, climate resilience, and Arctic sovereignty." Wawzonek will continue on as finance minister as well minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation. She is also the deputy premier. Minister Jay Macdonald will take over the roles of Minister of Justice and Government House Leader, previously held by the premier. He will also continue as Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Minister Vince McKay will now take on the infrastructure portfolio in cabinet, previously held by Wawzonek. McKay will also continue as minister of municipal and community affairs, minister responsible for the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission, and for the Public Utilities Board. Simpson also announced a new associate deputy minister for the new strategic infrastructure energy, and supply chains portfolio. Gaeleen MacPherson has worked in the diamond mining industry for Diavik, Dominion and De Beers. "[MacPherson's] background in supply chain development, infrastructure delivery, and Indigenous partnerships will be essential to advancing these priority projects," the release states. Simpson also said Monday that Housing Minister Lucy Kuptana will now be responsible for the N.W.T. homelessness strategy. The move is "part of ongoing efforts to strengthen coordination and support around homelessness and housing needs," the release states. The new cabinet roles are effective immediately. The premier also appointed a new deputy minister of infrastructure on Monday. Cathy Maniego will replace Steve Loutitt who is retiring after 35 years with the territorial government. In a statement about the changes, Simpson said now is a good time for his government to "take stock and make adjustments to ensure we're set up to deliver." "By making these changes, we're improving how we work together, ensuring each file gets the attention it deserves, supporting strong leadership across departments, and making space to move key projects forward," he said.
CBC
04-03-2025
- Business
- CBC
MLA's social media post doesn't affect finance minister's work, N.W.T. Speaker rules
The Speaker of the N.W.T. Legislature says that a Facebook post alleging backroom deals between N.W.T. cabinet ministers and MLAs does not impede the finance minister's ability to do her job — adding, members need to focus more on the work of the assembly and less on arguing. Speaker Shane Thompson made the ruling Monday on a point of privilege raised by Finance Minister Caroline Wawzonek, who argued that comments made on social media by MLA Kieron Testart impede Wawzonek's ability to engage freely with MLAs. A point of privilege is a tool for members to address something impeding their ability to do their job, and allows MLAs to then consider possible remedies. In his Feb. 26 Facebook post, Testart said the 2025 territorial budget is on track because of "backroom deals." "As long as cabinet has their supporters in line, the entire process is little more than accountability theatre," Testart wrote. The post follows Testart's pitch last month for regular MLAs to vote together as a bloc. Wawzonek said that one-on-one meetings are a necessary part of the legislative process and that Testart's post creates a threat for herself and those she meets with, particularly as members discuss next year's operating budget. "This public statement on social media undermines the ability to have those frank conversations between MLA members and myself and other ministers," Wawzonek said. "I should not have to worry whether I or the person I may have spoken to will find ourselves vilified in some fashion on social media." In his ruling Monday, Thompson said the Facebook post does not affect Wawzonek's ability as finance minister to advance the assembly's budget, but he said members need to "step up" for their constituents. "We're here to work together for the benefit of all people in this territory," he said. "We were not elected to quarrel and bicker. This isn't what our people expect or need." On Thursday and Friday, MLAs raised two points of order in the assembly. That's in addition to Wawzonek's point of privilege. Thompson said that's concerning. "I'd expect more of you as members of this legislative assembly, the people who elected us do too," he said. Thompson said disagreements and healthy debate are expected in the assembly, but he reminded members to consider the consequences of what they say and type, both in and out of legislative proceedings. He said that should another member raise a similar point in the future his ruling could be different.
CBC
13-02-2025
- Business
- CBC
N.W.T. minister defends government's decision not to disclose costs related to former hospital building
The N.W.T.'s minister of infrastructure is defending her government's decision not to disclose details of its commercial lease for a health-care building it is leasing out to a third party and sub-leasing back. According to an auditor general report in the fall, the territory's project to build a new Stanton Territorial Hospital went hundreds of millions of dollars over budget and failed to show good value for money for residents. It also looked at how the hospital was built using a public-private partnership (P3) model and how the territory ended up becoming a rent-paying tenant in the old hospital which it still owns — now turned into the Łıwegǫ̀atì health-care building. Yellowknife North MLA Shauna Morgan says the government's refusal to report publicly on the sub-lease of the Łıwegǫ̀atì building only adds to the scandal of the project. Reporting those details publicly is the only recommendation from the auditor general that the territorial government rejects. At the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, Morgan pressed Infrastructure Minister Caroline Wawzonek on why the government won't accept that final recommendation. "Who or what are we protecting by refusing to acknowledge mistakes," Morgan asked. She said the territory's plans to complete other major projects, like the Taltson expansion and the Mackenzie Valley Highway, are reasons why it should be transparent about the sub-lease agreement. "If this government wants us to take seriously its ambitions to build three new multi-billion dollar mega-projects ... it needs to address head on what went wrong with the Stanton P3," she said. Wawzonek said the territory considers the Łıwegǫ̀atì building and its lease agreement to be separate from the public-private Stanton project — something the territory disagrees about with the auditor general. "There's no matter of any people being protected," Wawzonek said. "The same as on every other commercial lease, we don't report them publicly." Wawzonek said that's because commercial leases contain private information about the landlord, even though in this case the government owns the building and is sub-leasing it from a third party leasing it from them. Morgan asked if the department was considering breaking the lease agreement that has the territory paying $78 million to a third party over the course of 30 years. "The legacy of this trail of irresponsible decision-making is found all over this budget that's before us," Morgan said. "It's a huge part of our interest payments and debt that has us bumping up against our debt ceiling." Wawzonek said the territory doesn't want to be the kind of contractual partner that breaks lease agreements. She also said she couldn't speak to decisions that were made when the territory entered into the agreement largely because of poor record-keeping — something the auditor general also noted in its October report. Wawzonek said her department is committed to better record-keeping, and its something the government has already begun. Some of that work includes a new procurement committee that oversees procurement and ensures proper regulations are followed, and changes to the capital planning process to provide better information about projects that carry long term costs.
CBC
07-02-2025
- Business
- CBC
N.W.T. finance minister tables $2.5B budget aimed at stability amid uncertainty
The N.W.T.'s finance minister is proposing a $2.5-billion operating budget for the upcoming year, which she said contains "nothing dramatic" and is aimed at being prepared for challenges that may arise during a time of uncertainty. "Assuming that there will be something unpredictable happening is probably the most stable prediction I can make," Caroline Wawzonek told reporters Thursday morning. She tabled the budget in the Legislative Assembly a few hours later. The territory expects to bring in $2.7 billion in revenues in 2025-26, which it says is up two per cent from last year. Expenses come to $2.5 billion — up from last year's $2.2-billion plan — leaving an expected operating surplus of approximately $170 million. That surplus will help pay for the territory's capital projects in the coming year. Wawzonek said nearly a third of the budget is spent on the healthcare system, and $64 million will be spent on improving access to it for things like front-line health support, administration capacity and delivery improvements. Housing and homelessness is another area of spending she highlighted. The territory is set to spend $3.7 million on a strategy for homelessness in Yellowknife, $2.9 million for a public housing program and $809,000 for the Transitional Housing Addictions Recovery Program. Wawzonek said the territory is also trying to reduce regulatory burdens in the mining sector. A snapshot of the economy In a presentation to reporters on Thursday morning, Bill MacKay, the finance department's deputy minister, said the territory's GDP is at its lowest point in a decade. Most of that, he said, is driven by the mining sector — but he cautioned that mining doesn't drive employment in the territory and therefore isn't the best metric of the N.W.T. economy. The N.W.T's three diamond mines are expected to end production in 2030. Rough diamonds are mainly exported to Belgium and Botswana, he said. The territory exports a very small amount of goods to the United States which, in 2023, amounted to $6,000 and included things like fur products and traditional crafts. Even so, MacKay said the territory would not be immune to the economic impacts of a tariff war with the United States. Anything bad for the Canadian economy, he said, would be "detrimental" to the N.W.T. MacKay also said some smaller industries are growing, such as motion picture, sound recording and tourism, as well as traditional economies like trapping and commercial fishing. Wawzonek said Hay River is at the "front line" of the fishing rebound, but Fort Resolution is involved as well, while the Beaufort Delta is starting to see its tourism industry "starting to flourish." Midwifery expansion cut Things that are expected to be cut in the upcoming fiscal is a planned expansion of the midwifery program in Yellowknife that was expected to cost $418,000. The Department of Environment and Climate Change's operations and maintenance budget is also being reduced by $425,000. The territory said it was also still expecting to save $2.7 million by closing the men's unit of the Fort Smith jail — something that came to light ahead of last year's budget, but was then delayed. The N.W.T. government has a goal of freeing up $150 million annually, by generating more revenue and finding places to cut spending. However, it fell short of that goal this year, ultimately freeing up about $106 million. It also wants to pay down its short-term debt by $150 million by the end of March 2028, but for this latest budget at least, the territory's short-term debt continues to climb. Wawzonek said the government would still like to hit its goals, but doesn't want to create instability in the public service sector or in its service to communities to make it happen. She also emphasized that the territory had hit a separate financial goal: to pay for its capital plan using an operating surplus. "It's pretty rare that we would pay for our capital plan … without taking on debt," she said.
