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.
Can the Minister speak to what is the maximum amount available to an eligible business under SEED, and can an applicant seek funding under more than one of these entrepreneur support categories?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. In relation to my Member's statement today, I'd like to talk about the SEED funding. Is the department tracking how many applications for SEED funding are being submitted specifically as a result of COVID-19, and, if so, how many applications for COVID-19 SEED funding has ITI received, how many have been approved, and how much funding is associated with these approvals? Thank you.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 23)
Thanks very much, Madam Chair. Under operations expenditures summary for long-term and continuing care services, for contract services, the number kind of has quite a bit of movement from year to year. If we are looking at the 2018-2019 actuals, we see $850,000. If we move along to the main estimates for this year, we see $365,000 with quite a fluctuation between the two. I am wondering if the Minister can speak to that change in the budget item and where that comes from. Thank you.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 23)
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. My final question in regard to this section is: the Minister mentioned a couple of questions ago the homecare review report. I'm just wondering when we can expect to see that report online? Thank you.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 23)
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Would the Department of Health and Social Services be willing to work with community organizations to make sure that community members are aware that this fund exists and how to access it so that we can kind of be a bit more proactive to make sure that people who need support in the home, who need that relief and that respite, know that it's available and have access to it? Thank you.
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 23)
Thank you very much Madam Chair. I'm just looking at the time, so I'm going to move on from this one a little bit. I'll come back to it with the Minister at a later time. My next question is in regard to the mental health and addictions line item in the budget. Within COVID, we've talked a lot of mental health and addictions and how the increase in need for mental health supports is huge. Does the Minister foresee that line item going up or them coming back for the need for additional monies because of COVID in relation to mental health and addiction?
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 23)
Thank you very much Madam Chair. Yes, this was a conversation that the Minister of Justice and I had during our last sitting that was cut short. I have let her know that I am coming back around to finish that conversation during this sitting. I appreciate that answer, and I agree that it does need a lead. My next question is in regard to the antipoverty fund and the day shelter fund that is on the next page. Over the course of the last 10 weeks, the day shelter showed up in media quite a bit, and the conversation was around does the day shelter go back to being a day shelter because it turned...
Debates of
, 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 23)
Thank you, Madam Chair. I would be curious to know if the Minister can speak to what it would cost for them to be able to address the issues raised in the Auditor General's report? Thank you.
As I alluded to in my Member's statement today, one of the most difficult parts about this policy is the market-disruption clause. Is the Minister willing to suspend or remove the market-disruption provision in the SEED policy so that existing NWT businesses can be assured of access to this funding? Thank you.
