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, the information that I have that empowers me as Minister, and a role that I carry because of the trust of the majority of this House, was to do my job. Part of my job is travelling to Ottawa. Part of my job is also talking to stakeholders. Stakeholders in this case have been very open about what it is they're looking for. That formed the letter. That is what I am now taking to Ottawa.
It is also worth saying, Mr. Speaker, that the Constitution gives the federal government exclusive jurisdiction over immigration. They have allowed us as provincial...
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, after the program was changed by the federal government in January, we were immediately advocating for that. The federal minister travelled here to the Northwest Territories last summer and heard firsthand the experiences of local businesses in the territory and the labour demands in the Northwest Territories. So they're very well aware of what it is that we need. We, again, laid out why we need these allocations. We laid out why we need them returned. I will continue to do so. But I cannot give out allocations that I do not have. We administer a...
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd be happy to follow up with the department on that specific program. But over the years, additional programs have come into play that have a created more space for elders in schools. Our school food program is just new this year in 2025. The transition to the school-based mental health and wellness program where elders could be hired, that's brand new as of 2024. So some of these programs are actually quite recent. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't have a specific number for that program, but we have multiple programs across the territory that create space for elders within our school system. The Member is absolutely right, the power of elders is absolutely undeniable and one that we have the privilege of experiencing in this House. Some of the programs that I'd be happy to talk more about are the elders for Indigenous languages programs, our school-based mental health and wellness program, our community focus from the Indigenous languages secretariat, as well as our school food...
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm currently working on this with the department. I also have slightly different information than what the Member is referring to on the floor of this House, but I can assure the Member that I am following up. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there was two questions there. So to the first question, the answer is no.
To the second question who is in charge, so the DEC has the responsibility of hiring and selecting and working with the superintendent. And within the legislation, there is also a concert and it works in concert with our Public Service Act and the collective agreement under the NWTTA. So that's an important thing to consider there as well, is that there are considerations under that too. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our district education authorities and our district education councils do have a governance role. Within the Northwest Territories, we do have a decentralized system. The governance roles within those boards are setting mission, vision, goals, objectives, developing and reviewing policies, procedures, providing guidance and direction to administration, developing strategic plans, monitoring and evaluating implementation plans and procedures, allocating funds and resources, training members, ensuring effective risk management policies are in place...
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, absolutely, elders are always teaching when they are anywhere in our communities. A lot of the programs centre around language revitalization and on the land experiences and cultural experiences for students across the Northwest Territories. And even when elders are in a health and wellness role within the school, they're still teaching at that point. So teaching is a key component in imparting knowledge and experience to our youth. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I understand that the families want to be able to bring their own children to the track meet, not to get on the bus. Thank you.
