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.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I've had the opportunity to see some of the results of some of the efforts of diamond mines. Reo Tinto is a great example. They have -- as my colleague, the Minister of Infrastructure spoke to, they have their wind and solar farms that they use up at site. And I know that this is certainly not only a focus of theirs but a focus of multiple mining operations. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It is always a red flag whether we miss any deadline whatsoever. It is always a red flag. We make deadlines which are commitments to the people of the Northwest Territories and the public. That is definitely a concern of mine. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I didn't particularly hear a specific question the Member wants me to answer other than where is the results. But I want to respond.
Absolutely, it is my goal to lead the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. That is what I've signed up to do, and that is what I'm doing. If I stand here and talk about doom and gloom, I'm not exactly leading people into prosperity, leading people into the next stages. I absolutely support, which is what I have said -- I support the transition and transformation of the Aurora College into a polytechnic, and I will continue to support that...
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is a subject area that is very important to me, very near and dear to my heart. I can confirm to this House that the Minister of health and social services and I have started conversations to work through this. We recognize this as a challenge, and I can commit certainly to continuing that conversation. And I am also meeting today with the NWTTA and will continue to meet with education bodies, and I will continue to make myself available. Thank you.
I'm going to be a hundred percent candid with you, Mr. Speaker, just like I was with the board. I'm going to tell them those exact words like I did less than a month ago. When I sat with the board and they told me what their priorities were, they turned to me and said, what are we missing? And I said, you guys are missing buzz. You guys are missing telling the story about the work that you are doing. So you need to generate that buzz by sharing your excitement and sharing your hard work with the people of the Northwest Territories. And that is the responsibility of the board. I will continue...
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, both at the officials level, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment has regular meetings with the education bodies themselves, and twice a year I get together with the education body chairs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I really want to see this transformation succeed because this transformation is not just about bricks and mortar. This transformation is about ensuring that we have a quality post-secondary institution providing education that leads to jobs that we need homegrown people to be able to take advantage of, that we need to be able to attract to our knowledge economy, to be able to do research. I believe in this transformation wholeheartedly, and I want to see it happen. I'm prepared to work within my authority to see that happen but acknowledge that...
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. To the Member's first question in regards to sharing the existing mandate document, it is available online, and I would be happy to send the link and share it with my colleagues on the other side of the House.
In regards to the question around funding, I can share with Members that at the meeting between myself and the board of governors at the end of September, concerns were raised about the funding that they do receive for the transformation, and those conversations are ongoing. I need to know from the college what it is that they're looking for. Because any...
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the current situation is absolutely there are a number of vacancies, which we've heard from the Minister of health about, in the realm of therapeutic services. I've certainly let my concerns be known. I have met with multiple officials from the Department of Health and Social Services, along with education, culture and employment, with both Ministers present, to share concerns about this one and figure out kind of what are the next steps here. As far as the education, culture and employment department is concerned, what has been done there is...
