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, we are redesigning the program for 2026, but we do need the federal government's permission to be able to extend work permits. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. So, Mr. Speaker, of the 49 of 51, not everybody has not received. It just means that by the end of the week, we've reached 49 of 51 and so generally for those who are -- had not received it, it was reliant on waiting for confirmation of specific information, and if the Member has a specific constituent that she would like to follow up on, I would be more than happy to do so. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm very happy to share with the House today some greater detail of what I have started the conversation with, with the federal minister. That includes restoring our nominee allocation with greater flexibility. It also includes engaging directly with northern stakeholders. Nothing beats hearing a personal story from a Northerner to help understand our northern and territorial context. It also includes extending the GNWT -- or working with the GNWT to extend work permits to people working in the territory and increase investment in settlement...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as a starter I am seeking that our allotment of 300 be restored with greater flexibility. This has been communicated in a letter. And I intend to travel to Ottawa as soon as we're done session so that I can continue that conversation in person. Thank you.
Debates of
, 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 59)
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's always exciting to see people join us in the gallery and listen to proceedings. So thank you to everybody for joining us, but a special thank you to a passionate advocate and Kam Laker, Jacques Roberge.
Thank you so much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the offer was for 50 asylum seekers and, at times, asylum seekers can require additional services. And so what I needed to know for my colleagues who would be in departments that would be required to respond is what type of services would we be obliged to provide and what level of service would be expected. I never received a response to those questions. I never received a response asking what type of supports we would receive to be able to provide those services to asylum seekers. So I was definitely in the conversation but, as we all know, the...
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have discussed this previously on the floor of the House. That was an offer from the previous Minister in the previous government. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our Cabinet, many members will be travelling down to Ottawa to meet with federal Ministers, and we intend to travel with representatives of Indigenous governments of this territory. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over the years the Yukon has gone one way, and the NWT has gone another way. At this point, what I am doing is I am travelling to Ottawa in order to ascertain what the difference is and how we get to a more equitable place as far as how our immigration program works in the Northwest Territories. And I very much look forward to having the conversations to talk not only about our allotment, talk about work permits, and to talk about settlement services, as well as flexibility within the program here in the territory. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I too would like to see them extended, which is why I have put that into my request to the federal government and will be travelling to Ottawa next week to follow up on that request. Thank you.
