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

Caitlin Cleveland
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 130)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, my questions are for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation to facility alternative energy.

The Northwest Territories Power Corporation is a Crown corporation that owns and operates the Northwest Territories' hydroelectric facilities and most of the Northwest Territories' diesel power plants. NTPC is tasked to provide an essential service to Northwest Territories residents and businesses by ensuring access to reliable electricity. The Northwest Territories' energy mix includes fossil fuel, biomass, hydro, natural gas, wind and solar installations...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 130)

Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, we have $193.7 million deficit within NTHSSA. Two of the main reasons for this deficit creeping up are cost of overtime due to staffing shortages and underfunded locum costs. So I think that investing in education in exchange for return of service is a good investment of this territory. So my question comes back to investment in bursaries is will this government provide bursaries in exchange for years of service to anybody who wants to be a nurse so that their program is fully subscribed every year? Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 130)

Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. So, Madam Speaker, if there are, for example, 30 spots available to firstyear students of which 29 are filled, does that mean that there are every year 30 bursaries available for those students? Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 130)

Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The importance of cultural safety extends beyond addictions services. Committee wants to see work to understand, enhance, and measure cultural safety applied to other areas at the health authorities and in the GNWT. The department should outline how it will build on its most recent cultural safety action plan, Caring for Our People, in the months and years ahead. Committee therefore recommends:

That the Government of the Northwest Territories conduct a wholeofgovernment review of cultural safety in all standards and policies associated with GNWT programs and services...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 130)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I too would like to congratulate the Arctic Energy Alliance on 25 years in the Northwest Territories.

Madam Speaker, we all know renewable energy and alternative energy solutions are the future. Our climate is changing and resources are depleting. We know we need to find sustainable energy solutions to replace nonrenewable resources.

The Northwest Territories uses three main energy sources to generate electricity: water, diesel, and natural gas, along with some solar energy installations. An objective under the GNWT's 2030 Energy Strategy work is to...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 130)

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Tomorrow is a new day. Mr. Chair, my next question is one of the things that was pointed out after the labour market supplement was announced within NTHSSA is that the Hay River health authority falls out of that. So should the Hay River health authority move forward? Are we to expect an additional supplementary appropriation, or how will that work? Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 130)

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I'm glad the Minister brought up additional staff. And it's my understanding that this line item also speaks to the hiring of additional staff. And I'm wondering if the Minister can speak to that item and how many people that might be, and we'll go from there. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 130)

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I just have a couple of questions. I'm wondering how quickly the labour market supplement will be provided to existing employees. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 130)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, November 3rd, I will move the following motion:

Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that pursuant to Rule 9.2(8), the Legislative Assembly hereby establish a special committee on transition matters;

And further, that the committee members be named to the special committee as follows:

Mr. Kevin O’Reilly, Member for Frame Lake;

The Honourable R.J. Simpson, Member for Hay River North;

Mr. Rocky Simpson, Member for Hay River South;

Ms. Lesa Semmler, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes;

Ms. Jane...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 130)

I was counting. Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, my last question for the Minister, then, is will they change the criteria of the program to include NWT residents so that even people who have made their home here for the last ten plus years and want to contribute to this deficit of staffing and a staffing shortage can partake in this program? Thank you.