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.
Minister of Education, Culture and Employment Minister of Industry, Tourism, and Investment
Statements in Debates
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 59)
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. There is some really exciting legislative work being done in MACA with a lot of potential for this year, from rolling out ATIP to funding policies, which is definitely top-of-mind for communities, as well as the much-anticipated Fire Prevention Act. I am just wondering if the Minister feels that this is an accurate budget to be able to get that work done. Thank you.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 59)
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I see under the policy and planning line that the dollar figure between 2019 and 2020 actuals and the main estimates for this year, that the financials have actually come down. I am wondering if the Minister can speak to why the policy and planning division dollars have come down and what that division intends to accomplish this year? Thank you.
I am really happy to hear that because I know it's a huge undertaking, but I think it's a really important undertaking for us to make as many steps forward as we can on. I am wondering if the GNWT departments will be signing an integrated service delivery MoU between social envelope departments and relevant stakeholders and if that is part of the plan of the working group and the framework that they are putting together in April.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 59)
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. My understanding of that program is that it is more of a leadership program. There is a lot of community participation that goes on. Kids are tasked with picking an organization to volunteer in. There is an element in there of personal development that really goes hand-in-hand with finding out what kids want to do, finding out what their colleagues want to do. These are kids who go back to their home community; they are discussing what happened and what they learned when they were with all of these students from different communities. I think it's a great...
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Justice. It's no secret, I think, at this point that I am definitely a supporter of integrated service delivery, and I know that we've heard it mentioned time and again in this House. I want to better understand what the goal is of this Cabinet, during this Assembly, for integrated service delivery and what timelines we can expect to see. Thank you.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 59)
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I look forward to additional information on that one. The other piece that I am wondering is: how does this Youth Corps piece relate to work being done by career advisors with ECE, and is there crossover between ECE and MACA in relation to this youth leadership programming? Thank you.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 59)
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I fully support that travel line, then, and I am very happy that Mr. Schauerte was able to identify that that was support for kids to be able to travel. I am fully in support of that one. I would like to have additional information on what is included in the sport and recreation line, and if there is intent, especially over the next few years while we're in a pandemic state where people are definitely staying home, to increase that line item? Thank you.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 59)
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I was just looking at the sport and recreation funding line, which seems to have jumped around a little bit over the last few years. I am wondering if the Minister can speak to that a little bit. I am guessing that last year there was an influx of cash from the federal government for COVID-related expenses, and I am wondering if the Minister can elaborate. Thank you.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 59)
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. No, I look forward to that review and to a report or a proposal coming forward. Just looking at the $185,000, that divided by 33 communities, which I know is probably not divided evenly. Even so, that's just over $5,000 per community, and so it won't go very far and probably doesn't go even as far as communities would like it to go. I definitely welcome that, and I would like to request that, as part of that report, if possible, it include cell service on our highways. That's something that we discuss quite a bit. I know that is a Department of Finance item...
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 59)
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I am wondering if there are timelines associated with each of the first three acts that the deputy minister referred to, that being the property assessment act, the Fire Prevention Act, and the seniors and disabled property tax act, if there are deadlines that the department is working towards in order to have those through to this side of the House. Thank you.
