Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment Minister of Education, Culture and Employment
The Honourable Caitlin Cleveland was first elected in the 19th Assembly as the MLA for Kam Lake in 2019, and has served as the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, and Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment since 2023 after being acclaimed to the 20th Assembly.
In addition to owning and operating a northern business for over 20 years, Minister Cleveland worked in a variety of communications and policy roles in both the public and private sectors before entering politics.
Between 2019 to 2023, she chaired the Standing Committee on Social Development, fulfilling a goal to be a part of the discussions and decisions affecting social programs in the Northwest Territories. Her noteworthy work on the Committee included guiding the considerable review and input into recommendations on housing in the NWT, suicide prevention, and improvements to caring for children in care and building supported families.
Within the scope of her portfolios, Minister Cleveland is focused on helping children grow into successful NWT residents that recognize opportunities and develop successful careers that contribute to a growing economy. She advocates for new approaches to sector diversification and innovation, and ensures the North is welcoming both skilled foreign workers and investment in the critical mineral resources across the territory. She persistently explores solutions for efficient and equitable access to programs and services, upholding a shared vision of an NWT where people are supported in the ways they wish to live, work, and grow.
Minister Cleveland is a lifelong resident of Yellowknife where she lives with her husband and their three children.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table a document entitled "Early Learning and Child Care in Canada: Where Have We Come and Where are We Going?" published by the Institute for Research on Public Policy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your Standing Committee on Social Development is pleased to provide its interim report on Bill 65, Builders’ Lien Act, and commends it to the House.
Bill 65, Builders’ Lien Act, was referred to the Standing Committee on Social Development for review on November 3rd, 2022. A plain language summary for Bill 65 was tabled on the same day. The sponsoring department for Bill 65 is the Department of Justice. During committee's review and public hearing on Bill 65, inquiries focused on applying the Builders’ Lien Act to the Government of the Northwest Territories...
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my previous question was in regards to whether or not the fund can fund an entire project or if it can only fund a portion of a project. But my next question and if the Minister is able to answer that, great. And the reason that I ask this is that in my statement I also talked about the Yellowknife Daycare Association who paid just over $4 million before the pandemic, before inflation, before the high cost higher cost of building in the Northwest Territories for 104 spaces. If the goal of ECE is to create 300 new spaces, the $1 million...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, during a March 2022 public hearing with the Standing Committee on Social Development, the Minister and staff stated that increases to the fund would be made in, quote, "considerations for project going forward based on need." So I'm wondering if the fund isn't intended to increase, how potentially would the Minister be able to accomplish this based on need, and what would be used as determinants of need? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the federal government's universal child care goal is to build a Canadawide communitybased system of quality care. This is good news. But unfortunately this good news has had a rocky shotgun start here in the Northwest Territories. While the foundation for $10aday child care takes shape, some struggles we are seeing aren't new to this funding model.
The federal government's own explicit model in this new Canadawide social program is Quebec who, in 1997, built an affordable child care system. This system has led to large increases in birthgiver employment and...
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 140)
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm going to squeak in one last question, and that is in regards to the manufacturing strategy.
One of the things that came out of the procurement review was a recommendation to actually implement the recommendations that came out of the manufacturing strategy. So I'm wondering if the economic diversification and business support team have the dollars to and resources, rather, to actually implement those recommendations and what recommendations we can see implemented before the end of the 19th Assembly? Thank you.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 140)
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I absolutely agree with the Minister and think that there is ample opportunity for business development across the territory and absolutely support that. I just want to make sure that we don't have legislation at the end of the day that cuts out people who maybe are not directly affiliated with the plant but who also support the plant. Which brings me to SEED.
And so, again, in terms of what one of my colleagues noted was the decline in SEED with the removal of the COVID supports. My concern is that with the economy where it is right now and the high rate of inflation...
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 140)
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So I see under commercial fisheries and contributions, there's a little bit of a difference, which I assume is that, that sunset there.
Can the Minister speak to whether or not there are any expected legislative changes required to the Fisheries Act coming forward from changes to the fisheries sector expected in the next year and if they have the resources to fulfill that work? Thank you.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 140)
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, Bill 57, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2022, received second reading in the Legislative Assembly on October 20th, 2022, and was referred to the Standing Committee on Social Development for review.
On February 13th, 2023, the Standing Committee on Social Development held a public hearing with the Minister of Justice and completed its clausebyclause review of the bill. Individual Members may have additional comments or questions at this time. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
