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 23)
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Would the Department of Health and Social Services be willing to work with community organizations to make sure that community members are aware that this fund exists and how to access it so that we can kind of be a bit more proactive to make sure that people who need support in the home, who need that relief and that respite, know that it's available and have access to it? Thank you.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 23)
Thank you very much Madam Chair. I'm just looking at the time, so I'm going to move on from this one a little bit. I'll come back to it with the Minister at a later time. My next question is in regard to the mental health and addictions line item in the budget. Within COVID, we've talked a lot of mental health and addictions and how the increase in need for mental health supports is huge. Does the Minister foresee that line item going up or them coming back for the need for additional monies because of COVID in relation to mental health and addiction?
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 23)
Thank you very much Madam Chair. Yes, this was a conversation that the Minister of Justice and I had during our last sitting that was cut short. I have let her know that I am coming back around to finish that conversation during this sitting. I appreciate that answer, and I agree that it does need a lead. My next question is in regard to the antipoverty fund and the day shelter fund that is on the next page. Over the course of the last 10 weeks, the day shelter showed up in media quite a bit, and the conversation was around does the day shelter go back to being a day shelter because it turned...
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 23)
Thank you, Madam Chair. I would be curious to know if the Minister can speak to what it would cost for them to be able to address the issues raised in the Auditor General's report? Thank you.
As I alluded to in my Member's statement today, one of the most difficult parts about this policy is the market-disruption clause. Is the Minister willing to suspend or remove the market-disruption provision in the SEED policy so that existing NWT businesses can be assured of access to this funding? Thank you.
According to the backgrounder that accompanied the announcement of top-up funding, I quote, "a flexible approach shall be taken to the provision of SEED strategic initiative funding, with an allowable funding range between $30,000 and $70,000." However, the ITI SEED program webpage and the policy itself indicate that the maximum funding available under any specific entrepreneur support category is $25,000 per year. Can the Minister please clarify first what is meant by the term "entrepreneur support category" in the SEED policy, and are there separate pots of funding under the SEED umbrella...
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 23)
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. For the following year, would we expect to see the same type of a budget line item for here, then? It would be consistent within that, kind of, $365,000 mark? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was happy to hear the Minister just now speak of SEED funding, and I'd like to take that a step further with her today.
Mr. Speaker, our NWT businesses need aggressive, innovative stimulus programs and an influx of cash so they can start the long journey of regenerating our northern economy. I was pleased to hear that ITI has topped up its SEED program by $140,000, to $4 million, to support new, innovative proposals that reflect the realities of the post-COVID-19 economy.
The program guidelines provide that funding should support forward-looking business proposals aimed...
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 23)
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Maybe the Minister can just help me with the process here a little bit. Does it have to come to AOC before it goes online, and then, as soon as AOC sees it, does it immediately become online and available to the public? Thank you.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 23)
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. No, I don't think it needs to be a new line item. I think that Health and Social Services has a really strong communication team who does a lot of great work. I think that this is something that we can just simply ask them to highlight in communities right now, given that people probably do need additional support in the home; not a new line item. My next question is in regard to with long-term facilities, I see that there is not a line item for languages here. Would language requirements or language needs within long-term care facilities be involved here, or...
