Premier Caroline Cochrane has announced changes to the Executive Council. The Executive Council is composed of a Premier chosen by the Legislative Assembly and persons appointed by the Commissioner on the advice of the Legislative Assembly.
The Executive Council is responsible for the overall management and direction of the executive government of the NWT, including matters of policy.
Cochrane noted that responding to the global COVID-19 pandemic has created significant new demands on the GNWT that we expect will continue for at least another two years.
“Given the ongoing nature of the pandemic, the GNWT continues to make the necessary changes to support a more integrated and efficient approach to better ensure that we can protect the health of NWT residents and communities. At the same time, we are also taking advantage of the opportunity to align some other functions within government and Ministerial assignments to better pursue our mandate commitments.”
The following changes have been made to the Executive Council:
- Cochrane will continue in her role as Minister of Executive and Indigenous Affairs, while retaining leadership on COVID-19 related emergency response.
- Diane Thom will be named as Minister Responsible for Seniors, and will continue in her roles of Deputy Premier, Minister of Health and Social Services, and Minister Responsible for Persons with Disabilities.
- Caroline Wawzonek will be named as Minister Responsible for Status of Women, with additional responsibility for gender-based policy work, including the responsibility for developing and implementing an NWT action plan on missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. Minister Wawzonek will continue in her roles of Minister of Justice, and Minister of Finance, which will now include responsibility for Procurement Shared Services, which will be transferred from the Department of Infrastructure to the Department of Finance.
- Shane Thompson will be named as Minister responsible for the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission, and will continue in his roles of Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Minister of Lands, and Minister Responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation.
- Paulie Chinna will be named as Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs and Minister Responsible for Youth, and will continue in her roles of Minister Responsible for Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, and Minister Responsible for Homelessness.
- Katrina Nokleby will continue in her roles of Minister of Infrastructure, and Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.
- R.J. Simpson will continue in his roles of Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Minister Responsible for the Public Utilities Board, and Government House Leader
The new appointments took effect as of 5:00 p.m. on July 23rd.
