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 , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 21)

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. And I'm very happy to have gotten this question on the floor because I think it's an important conversation.

I absolutely do not subscribe to the notion that artists must be starving artists. I never have subscribed to that and believe wholeheartedly that regardless of whether or not it is an elder participating in a cultural day at a school or it is somebody delivering a community performance or it is somebody who is, you know, sewing mitts, all form of arts and crafts and performances and film and writing all have value. Whether or not somebody is actually...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 21)

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I received a letter from Aurora College chair on Thursday indicating that they are requesting funding to reinstate that entity. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 21)

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, like the rest of my colleagues, I am definitely always willing to have conversations. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 21)

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I'd love to see a day where, you know, people can put themselves on a list, and we have a centralized database that is shared among licensed child care providers. But we simply do not have that type of digital technology within ECE, let alone most of the government at this point in time. I would, for sure, love to see significant investments in digital technology and innovation in that area within the GNWT, but it would take significant investment, and it's one that I simply don't have the dollars for at this time within the department. That being...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 21)

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. The short answer to that is yes.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 21)

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, STIP feedback still comes forward ad hoc through different evaluation parameters from education bodies and from open communication with education bodies, and then beyond that calendars are still developed to meet legislative requirements, for example for instructional hours, and then, of course, we have the collective agreement parameters for a number of teacher workdays and stuff like that. And if but, yes sorry, I've been passed a note. Yes, we can consider doing that as well. But I'd be curious to know I feel like the Member has another ask...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 21)

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, when I went through these numbers, because I did have similar questions to that, the funding that I did note went from about $1.17 million within all of those pots that it has now been distributed to to about $1.426 million. So it did have a slight increase in the funding within those arts programs from one year to the next. And, yeah, I'll leave it there, and I'll wait for the next question. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 21)

That is correct, Mr. Chair. Students who currently access northern distance learning will still be able to access northern distance learning. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 21)

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, 3 million of those dollars were focused on small communities, and 1 million of those dollars were focused on regional centres. And so the change in that reduction would signal a desire to kind of change the policy work behind that funding to ensure that funding is directed at communities with the highest unemployment rates. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 21)

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I will definitely put in a plug for, you know, if anybody has any French translating drafters out there, who are both lawyers and very skilled in the language of French and translations, please come live in the Northwest Territories and make this your home. We have some work for you. But, yes, as soon as we can get that done, that is something that I very much look forward to getting out for engagement and making sure that we can put that new regulation in play. Thank you.