Caitlin Cleveland

Member Kam Lake

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.

Kam Lake Electoral District

Committees

Kam Lake
Constituency Office
Phone
Minister's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Phone
Extension
11124
Minister of Education, Culture and Employment Minister of Industry, Tourism, and Investment

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 13)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. A couple of weeks ago, we heard from the Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes about the importance of oral health. I share her concerns and believe that the Department of Health and Social Services could be doing more to support good oral health and the prevention of oral diseases.

We live in a unique part of the world with unique needs. In our remote communities, access to regular dental care is not consistent, and treatment is not timely or immediate. Accessing treatment is complicated by the fact that dental services are not insured medical services under the Canada Health...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 13)

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I'm going to move up to the line item for fees and payments. The line item for fees and payments has changed significantly over the years, in a positive direction. It's gone from $2.475 to $4.19 million. I'm wondering if the Minister can elaborate a little bit on that line item. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 13)

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I am very supportive of this initiative, and I'm wondering if there are plans within Education, Culture and Employment's long-term strategy to expand this program to other regions of the Northwest Territories so that, for example, they have a team based out of Inuvik? Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 13)

Thank you very much for that, Madam Chair. I really appreciate that information, and I think it will be really interesting to be able to see how that program is doing and the graduates that come out of it over the course of this government. I think that's very exciting. I am wondering if the Minister would be willing to reflect on the significant increase in travel under the culture, heritage, and languages page, which went from actuals in 2018-2019 of $177,000, to the main estimates of $368,000, and I'm wondering if the Minister can speak to how that will improve the cultural, heritage, and...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 13)

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. On page 50, the fourth line item up from the bottom says "interest." I am wondering if the Minister can speak to what this line item is. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 13)

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. The next two line items I'd like to talk about are the Indigenous broadcasting and Indigenous scholarships lines, which seem to have disappeared from the budget. Is that because they have been moved to another place within the budget? Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 13)

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I am going to work my way down to the literacy funding line item. Is that federal grant money, or is that GNWT money, just so that I am reading this right? Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 12)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Minister did set up a very helpful tour for a lot of Members, at the North Slave Correctional Facility, that a lot of us did partake in, and it was really nice to have the opportunity during that visit to meet with the facility's traditional counsellor who is employed there. I am wondering, because a lot of inmates in the Northwest Territories are also on a healing journey when they are in our correctional facilities, does the traditional counsel have their own budget line item for cultural activities within the facilities? Thank you

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 12)

Okay. It does fall under here, but we are not entirely sure where. Maybe that would be under compensation and benefits? I am going to take a guess. There is a bit of an increase there, but I think it is from UNW forced growth. I am wondering if there is an increase, for this fiscal year, of leadership professional development training for corrections officers. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 12)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In regards to the protection against family violence line, does this also include financial support for victims of family violence? Thank you.