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 very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I absolutely agree with the Minister. So I'm wondering, given the healthcare staffing shortage that we are experiencing as well in the Northwest Territories, and the pressure on primary care in health centres across the territory and, in addition to that, the availability of nurse practitioners to work alongside physicians, is the GNWT facilitating temporary certificates for all nurse practitioner graduates so that they can work while they're waiting for their national exam results? Thank you.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 146)
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I'm going to go back to my question from earlier. I'm wondering what amount is set aside for O and M for Stanton Legacy in this section? Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I'm very happy to hear that. That was going to be my next question for the Minister so that is wonderful news.
I'm wondering if the GNWT has also looked into potential LPN graduates that will be graduating this year as well and if there have been any conditional job offers offered to them as well. Thank you.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 146)
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I'm wondering if the Minister and staff would have the resources within this budget to dedicate some of these dollars to creating like, whether it's a booklet or a portal or something where youth who are currently in care can see what supports they will get and/or could get when they are aging out of care because there's not a lot of transparency right now as far as what supports they are entitled to and can help them in their transition from care to independent living. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, mining is the largest economic driver in Canada's Arctic. In the final days of 2022, the federal government introduced the Canadian Critical Mineral Strategy that it says will increase the supply of responsibly sourced critical minerals and support the development of domestic and global value chains for the green and digital economy. According to the federal government, critical minerals represent a generational opportunity for Canada's workers, economy, and net zero future. But looking to Canada's critical mineral goals, it is clear they hinge on the North...
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 146)
Thank you. So we're spending $44 million then, what I'm hearing, on compensation and benefits? I thought this $44 million was to actually pay for the child and family services programming that happens. So I'm wondering if I gain clarity on that, please.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 146)
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. And, Madam Chair, just to be very specific, 1200 youth in it the Northwest Territories receiving some form of care doesn't necessarily mean that all of those children have been removed from their homes; they could be under voluntary service agreement but still in their own homes. So just to confirm that piece, plus to confirm the Minister does not have a breakdown of how many youth they are serving in their own home versus in a foster care situation? Thank you.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 146)
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, does the Minister have an idea in this area how much residents are relying on Jordan's Principle to fund some of the shortfall of the GNWT in order to make medical travel more accessible for people who do need to bring their kids with them and don't because this really ends up being an access to health issue or equitable access to health issue. Thank you.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 146)
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. So resubstantiated as needed for legal fees. I know that one of the things that social development had asked for was kind of an automatic avenue for people who are involved with child and family services to have access to a lawyer without having to kind of go the route of waiting in line from legal aid. And so would that kind of cover this or is it can the Minister speak a little bit more towards what specific legal fees would be covered under this line item. Thank you.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 146)
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I'm looking for the cost per bed to run a bed for a person who is in so not the capital cost but the O and M costs for a person who is in longterm care versus a person who is in extended care. I'm wondering what the number is that health uses in order to budget based on the number of rooms or number of clients they expect to have. Thank you.
