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 Department of Education, Culture and Employment can certainly provide supports to people who need it. The example the Member used, for example, where people have English as a second language, the supports afforded are certainly determined on a case-by-case basis, and people who require supports can email @email. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. So, Mr. Speaker, the term implied status has now been changed to maintained status just so that everybody's using the same language. So foreign nationals on maintained status are eligible to extend their health care coverage and NWT driver's licenses, and they would need valid proof that they are on maintained status. Foreign nationals that are looking to extend their health care cards and their NWT driver's license are encouraged to reach out to NWT -- sorry, NTHSSA, as well as the Department of Infrastructure, to confirm the process and documents that they...
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we're trying to ensure that more residents are graduating from high school, more residents are attending post-secondary, more residents are having meaningful employment within the workforces of the NWT. And I think that that's key. I think it's about growing and enhancing our workforce. I understand from the Member, though, that there's an opportunity to constantly improve the documents that we do put out. And that's why I think it's also important to reflect on the fact that our business plans are living documents and, based on the feedback from...
Mr. Speaker, picture this: Standing beneath the dancing aurora as the night sky comes alive; gliding across a pristine lake so still it mirrors the world above; or tracking the footsteps of generations before us along an ancient northern trail. This is the magic of the Northwest Territories; Mr. Speaker, a land that captivates the soul and invites adventure-seekers from around the world. Tourism is not just an industry here; it is a gateway to land, culture, and to the wonderful people who call this place home.
Last year, visitors spent over $129 million experiencing our spectacular...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this type of feedback is something that I hear from MLAs. I have heard from Indigenous governments over desire for courses to be accessible within communities and have heard it from residents as well. And certainly when I get feedback like that, I do make sure that I take it to meetings that I do have with the president of Aurora College as well as the chair of Aurora College. And so while I don't direct the operations and don't have -- there is a noninterference clause so I cannot interfere and tell them what to do, I certainly do ensure that I am sharing...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I certainly have oversight over post-secondary in the Northwest Territories, and it's the Aurora College board of governors who has oversight over the operations of the college. But it is my understanding that the program is still being delivered at the college. But I think it's worth noting that not every single program is delivered in every single term at the college. Thank you.
Debates of
, 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 45)
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. No, I appreciate the Member's consistent advocacy for the people that he serves. Mahsi.
Debates of
, 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 45)
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. So, Madam Chair, the Yukon was able to move their nominee program up to 430 allocations in previous years. This year, because they were cut by 50 percent, they went down to 215. So that said, they are still starting from a place that was greater than our allocation but not as high as the Member indicated.
It's worth noting, Madam Chair, that different territories are in different positions as far as nominee programs are concerned. Right now, Nunavut does not have a nominee program. That being said, I hear the Member, and I'm certainly always willing to work pan...
Debates of
, 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 45)
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. So, Madam Chair, what I think is really important to capture here is that there's over $5 million a year that the GNWT receives from the federal government specifically for Indigenous languages, and that funding is funneled straight to Indigenous governments, and Indigenous governments determine what their programs -- their community-based programs will do and certainly have the support of ECE for that.
I absolutely agree with the Member that revitalization of Indigenous languages across the territory is incredibly important and is one that we need to take...
