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 6)
Thank you, Madam Chair. I look forward to watching the development of this mentorship program. I think that mentorship is a huge opportunity in the North, especially for people who do want to get into business, but I think that business ownership is far more than being very skilled at a trade. There is an element of being fiscally responsible that is very important, especially when we are supporting people through business development, through SEED money, or anything like that. I think it would be prudent that we make sure that we are setting people up to the best of their ability. Thank you.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 6)
Thank you, Madam Chair. I see here that there is a spot for training provided to make sure that communities are well prepared to take on the decision-making authorities. Will there be ongoing check-ins and ongoing support to make sure that we can keep that decision-making authority within the communities and empower them to continue on that road? Thank you.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 6)
Thank you, Madam Chair. I've got one quick question, as well, hopefully. We have all, around the table, agreed that settling and implementing treaty land resource and self-government agreements is a top priority for this government, and we need to move the meter on this one. My question for the Premier is: does she feel that we need to actually accomplish priority number 3 of "implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People" before we can justly accomplish our priority number 2? Thank you.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 6)
Thank you, Madam Chair. I have also noticed that in other priorities, there was indication of some other housing units. For example, on page 32, it does say that for mental health and addictions programs, there are nine transitional housing units that will be added to several communities. Will that number of housing units affect the 100 housing units committed in the first priority on page 6?
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 6)
Thank you, Madam Chair. I want to start by reflecting on some of the challenges of developing a mandate. The Government of the Northwest Territories has been developing mandate documents to guide its work since the 1999 agenda for the new North set the vision for a post division Northwest Territories that no longer included Nunavut. In the last 20 years, subsequent consensus governments have been challenged with developing an agenda that articulates a shared vision of the Northwest Territories, one that reflects the aspirations of all Northerners while staying rooted in practical actions and...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday in the House, the housing Minister advised that we do not work through legislation, and that "the Housing Corporation works solely through policy." Given that the NWT Housing Corporation Act sets out the Minister's authority, will the Minister please clarify what she meant by her remarks? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 6)
Thank you, Madam Chair. Looking at this priority, I notice that there is a section here for developing mentorship programs to support emerging entrepreneurs. I am wondering who is involved in this mentorship program, and does it involve northern business owners? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, for the last 40 years, Canadians have determined core housing needs based on adequacy, suitability, and affordability. Core housing refers to a national set of measures developed in collaboration with the United States. Based on core housing metrics, in 2019, over 50 percent of housing in small communities required major repairs; and in Yellowknife, our greatest challenge was affordability. One in three Yellowknifers are spending more than 30 percent of their household income on housing costs. Over 900 people are currently on the waitlist for public housing across the NWT.
I am always ready to have a conversation about housing, so I appreciate that. Is the Minister prepared to work with communities and Indigenous governments to re-examine the definition of core housing and develop metrics of success appropriate to the challenges that we face in the 21st century?
