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.
No. I think that's very valuable information. I think it's also important that we know where work still needs to be done, especially when it comes to public education, and where we can kind of help make sure that our younger brothers and sisters and maybe our children or family members could stand to help us reach that herd immunity. What I'm wondering, Mr. Speaker, is: since we know that we're working towards 75 percent vaccination rate and we're hoping to reach it before the summer and I am very hopeful that the department of Health is able to get there in order to achieve herd immunity...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Residents and businesses want to support the GNWT's efforts to keep Northerners' safe, but this partnership hinges on open communication that supports both the physical and mental health as well as the economic needs of Northerners. Let's give Northerners the opportunity to emerge wisely by working to identify clearer goal posts, rewards, and economic supports. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table a letter from the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce, "Transparent Process for easing Restrictions within the Northwest Territories." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I think it's valuable to have the conversation about community-by-community lifting and easing of restrictions. For example, if you end up with Ulukhaktok who ends up with 75 percent vaccination rates and they've had great success, say, in their community and they want to get back to doing social activities, they want to ease up on restrictions as far as capacity and gatherings, and if we here in Yellowknife have not reached that level, it would be really unfortunate to have surrounding communities really held back by their opportunity. Likewise, it would also not benefit Yellowknife to be...
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Today, my questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services, and my first question for the Minister is: can she confirm the vaccination rates in the Northwest Territories by small community, regional centre, and also Yellowknife? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to start off today by thanking teachers for taking my kids back today. Second, Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank the health authority as they've done an incredible job vaccinating NWT residents and continues to do so. As we work towards 75 percent vaccination rate, NWT residents are wondering how this change to public health orders here in the Northwest Territories. While some question what this means for self-isolation, many NWT businesses and residents are asking what this means for within territory restrictions. In a recent letter to the Premier, the Yellowknife...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that, on Wednesday, March 31, 2021, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Sahtu, that Mr. Sheldon Toner of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, be recommended to the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories for appointment as a member of the Human Rights Adjudication Panel, effective immediately for a term of four years; and further, that Lou Sebert of Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, and Jay Sengupta of Hamilton, Ontario, be recommended to the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories for...
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My last question is one that we have slightly touched on before, and that is the timeline for completing the procurement review. We have been told spring of this year, I believe, but I want to confirm that. Also, in confirming that, is the Minister able to let us know what the anticipated timeline is for implementing the recommendations that come out of that? Thank you.
There is a need for the GNWT to work interdepartmentally to identify where business opportunity is lacking and to use this information to strategically offer business supports in those areas. How does ITI work with departments to collect data on gaps in niche markets, where a large majority of GNWT contracts are going south? How do we educate ourselves as a government as to where money is leaving Northwest Territories markets and constantly going south?
Mr. Speaker, it has been nearly one year of COVID-19 economic restrictions in the territory. Over the past year, the NWT's unemployment rate remains the lowest among all Canadian jurisdictions; however, a significant amount of our workforce growth was due to the growth of the public service.
Mr. Speaker, I am thankful that the NWT was able to grow at a time when many around the world were losing jobs, homes, and loved ones, but the fact is growth of the public sector alone is not an indicator of a healthy economic environment, and I remain concerned about the future projection of our...
