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, Mr. Speaker. So, Mr. Speaker, while there are assessments that take a deeper look at how a student learns, there are lots of instances where an assessment of this nature isn't necessarily needed. Schools are really encouraged to act early and not wait, and teachers are encouraged to provide additional classroom and small group support as soon as a concern emerges with a student. And students don't need a diagnosis in order for teachers to make that available to students in their schools or in their classrooms, and a formal diagnosis is not required for accommodations or intervention...
Debates of
, 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 81)
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, based on the enrolment numbers that we have today, because as you know, this program fluctuates with the number of children that are involved in it, but as it sits today we would be looking at a shortfall of approximately $10 million a year.
Debates of
, 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 81)
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, there is additional funding for other post-secondary institutions that is found within this budget. It's just not found within this line item because it comes from different funding agreements that I believe is found under the labour section. But I would need to confirm that. But I can confirm for the Member that there is, within this budget, additional dollars as well for other post-secondary contributions.
Debates of
, 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 81)
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So I will start, and then I will pass to the deputy minister.
So to start off, we've got some other engagement that is underway in the 2026 year, which is the engagement that is as a result of the redefining what adult education will look like in communities across the Northwest Territories. And so as part of that work is a great opportunity to really outline what is next steps and what is our action plan coming out of that. As far as looking back on Skills 4 Success, I'd like to pass to the deputy minister, please.
Debates of
, 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 81)
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, I absolutely hear the Member, and I spend a lot of time talking to Tlicho Investment Corporation specifically about workforce development opportunities. And one of the things that they're looking very closely at is actually using their workforce to do on-the-job training so that people are not expected to quit their jobs, go to school, but how can they incorporate a lot of these trainings and certifications right into the employment that they're doing today. So they still -- they maintain their job but as they're doing their job, they either get time to...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So in short, yes, accommodations help students access learning but do not replace teaching children to read. So teachers can, for example, pair accommodations with classroom instruction and then, where needed, target more intensive interventions. These assistive technologies, Mr. Speaker, are meant to complement teaching and intervention, but are not a standalone solution. Thank you.
Debates of
, 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 81)
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, this is a federal program, and the agreement and parameters of that agreement are defined by the federal government. Thank you.
Debates of
, 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 81)
Sorry, I am just going to go to the next -- can I get -- so I see that there is a difference of about 7 -- $600,000. Oh, and that's in relation to the closure of the community learning centres, Mr. Chair, and our memorandum of understanding that we had for the delivery of adult learning and basic education. Thank you.
Debates of
, 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 81)
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, certainly there are some positive indications coming out of where that process is so far. I understand that Aurora College intends to share some of that process in the spring this year, and that will give us an indication of what those timelines will look like. Thank you.
Debates of
, 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 81)
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Yes, Mr. Chair, there was a time in the end of the last calendar year where -- for the applications that were coming forward in January, that Aurora College needed to just put a pause on it in order to get some computer stuff fixed up, but there was never an intent to not offer the programming at all. So both Aurora College offers the programming in English and Collège Nordique offers it in French. Thank you.
