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.
Mr. Speaker, after-care is prevention. It helps residents successfully navigate life outside treatment to reduce cyclical use of institutional care and maintain personal wellness. I say "wellness" and not "sobriety," Mr. Speaker, because after-care is not exclusive to addictions treatment. After-care is the network of relationships and community support essential to success after institutional care.
The GNWT invests a significant amount of money in the wellness of residents through a variety of institutional care. For example, the GNWT budgeted $35 million on supportive living in facilities...
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 61)
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I think it would be worthwhile as a request, if we're going to isolate French-language services in healthcare, I think it would be worthwhile also showing how much we're spending on Indigenous languages translations in healthcare, as well. One of the conversations that we hear a lot about these days is systemic racism and if that exists in our healthcare systems or not, and I think people being able to access healthcare in their Indigenous and traditional languages is quite important to make sure that everybody is getting information that they need. That's why I...
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 61)
No.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 61)
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Since we're not in the hospital services section, I'll come back to that one when we get to the appropriate place, then. My next question is in regard to the Health and Social Services Authorities funding. I'm wondering if this is the appropriate place to ask about the deficit for the NTHSSA. Thank you.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 61)
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I am going to start off with the line item for the French language services. I'm wondering if there is a matching line item for Indigenous languages. Thank you.
In 2016, there was a men's A New Day evaluation report done. I am wondering if there will be an evaluation report done on the work that has been done by the John Howard Society since then and if either of those reports will be used in order to form the terms of reference for the financing going forward.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 61)
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I am going to end up leaving the conversation of the deficit to somebody else because I am just trying to be mindful of the clock here. The adult support services line item, I see that that's fairly consistent with what it was last year, and I am wondering if that line item includes the FASD diagnostic clinic.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Earlier this month, I gave a Member's statement about the men's A New Day program. It's a healing and wellness program for men who use violence in their intimate relationships. I am under the understanding that the existing contract for this program is up next month, and I am wondering if the Minister of Justice can please let us know what the plans are for this program. Thank you.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 61)
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. That's good news, and that's what I like to hear. My next question is in regard to population health. I see that population health has had a significant decrease, and I'm wondering what this decrease accounts for. Thank you.
I hope that will include families, as well, because people with mental health and addictions and disabilities and addictions are also parents, and coming by supports for families in the North is a very big challenge for people. One of the priorities of the 19th Assembly is to increase the number and variety of culturally respectful community-based mental health and addictions programs, including after-care by providing services for individuals with addictions, such as Wellbriety and AA programming. This is to reduce the number of returns to treatments and increase the length of time between...
