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 144)
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. My I probably only have time for one last question. So the supporting child inclusion and participation, it says contributions to target the needs of children who are vulnerable, at risk, or who have specific needs. I'm assuming that this is largely used more in kind of an inclusive for kids with disabilities within a daycare or day home setting. I'm also wondering if given that children of teen parents might fall into a vulnerable or at risk category, if this would also be an avenue to access funding for teen parents? Thank you.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 144)
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. So I'm wondering can a day home call themselves a notforprofit and in turn call themselves sorry, and in turn pay themselves a living wage, or where does that division happen? Is the division actually between the number of kids they have or the number of employees? How does ECE make that determination, or is it simply based on where they operate out of? Thank you.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 144)
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I'm wondering if the Minister can speak to roughly what that wage topup will look like from the perspective of ECE. Is that topup going to be roughly or can it even be worked into, you know, an average figure for people who provide early learning and child care across the territory? Thank you.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 144)
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I'm wondering if the Minister can let us know, under fees and payments there's a significant increase and I'm just wondering what fees and payments come out of there as far as early learning and child care. Thank you.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 144)
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, my next question is in regards to the inclusive schooling line item. That line item seems to stay quite consistent year after year. And from what I'm hearing from parents, even in Kam Lake, there are a lot of concerns about, you know, where kids are finding themselves after COVID and a lot of kids who didn't receive assessments that they would have received before they aged out of the system, a lot more challenges with kids falling behind in school, and just a real need for more inclusive schooling supports. And so I'm wondering why that line item...
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, to confirm, the changes to allowing homebased businesses in public housing will follow and be included in the suite of policy changes to come out April 1st? Thank you.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 144)
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I'm sure that a lot of the changes that happen from here on in for a few years in regards to education will be largely driven by the Education Act amendments. And so I'm wondering where that funding is coming from; is that found in corporate management and not here? And I'm wondering if the Minister can provide clarity on that one. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister responsible for Housing NWT. Mr. Speaker, the Housing NWT prohibits homebased business from being in public housing. This works against four separate mandate items of the Government of the Northwest Territories, including one for increasing employment in small communities, which specifically says "amend the NWT Housing Corporation policies to allow appropriate homebased business opportunities within their units." It also goes against at least five Calls for Justice from the MMIWG.
So I'm wondering will the Minister...
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 144)
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, my first question is in regards to education renewal and innovation. This line item appears to have come down a little bit. And my concern is that in the following fiscal year, hopefully the 20th Assembly which will be part of that fiscal year, will be able to dive right into the education renewal. And so I'm wondering if the education renewal, in fact, some of it comes out of here or is it largely centered within the corporate management section? Thank you.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 144)
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Yes, it was that $5.6 million fund towards SFA that I was looking for. I'm wondering if there is any conversation, given the changes that have happened to income security and student financial assistance, if there's been any conversation with the federal government to increase that amount especially given that one of the most exciting changes that was made to income security was this opportunity for Indigenous students to really go for unlimited terms of education if that's what they so desire. Thank you.
