Jordan Principle ‘funding crisis’ endangers lives of Manitoba First Nations children: chief

First Nations leaders in Manitoba say Canada has failed in its duty to fund a federal policy aimed at ensuring First Nations children can quickly access essential health care services and products.

Although the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ordered Ottawa to process Jordan Principle applications within 12 to 48 hours in 2017, War Lake First Nation Chief Betsy Kennedy says some communities in the province have been waiting for months.

“First Nations are reporting they have not received funding since early summer,” Kennedy, who is also acting grand chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, said at a news conference Friday.

The funding gap is more than a logistical issue and reflects “a larger systemic failure on Canada’s part to keep up with this legal standard,” he said.

“It is unacceptable that First Nations are having to struggle for funding while the needs of our children are not being met.”

Jordan’s Principle is named after Jordan River Andersona five-year-old boy from Norway’s Cree nation who died in 2005 amid a two-year battle between Manitoba and Ottawa over who would pay for his care.

In 2007, the House of Commons adopted the principle on behalf of the five-year-old. Ottawa launched the Jordan Principle program in 2016 to compensate qualifying families for their children’s health and therapeutic services.

Indigenous Services Canada previously estimated that as of March 27, its Jordan Principle sector had between 40,000 and 82,000 backlogged applications, according to documents filed with the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, which was asked to decide whether Canada is failing First Nations children by mismanaging the program.

‘Money is not coming’

For non-urgent cases, First Nations children in Manitoba experienced the slowest reaction time, according to the documents. Between April 1, 2023 and February 29, 2024, only 14 per cent of non-urgent care requests in the province met the 48-hour deadline.

“Right now, as far as I’m concerned, Canada is operating a shit show,” said Walter Wastesicoot, grand chief of the Keewatin Tribal Council, which represents 11 First Nations communities across northern Manitoba.

Due to a lack of federal funding for Jordan Principle, the tribal council has had to provide $8 million in bridge funding to its 11 First Nations in recent years, he said at Friday’s news conference.

The tribal council also met with Indigenous Services Canada, which has been promising a refund for months, he said.

“For the last two years, Canada’s representative here in Manitoba has been telling our people, ‘Go ahead and spend… The money will come,'” he said.

“There is no money coming.”

The Jordan Principle is particularly important in northern Manitoba, where access to health care pales in comparison to other parts of the province, Wastesicoot said.

He pointed to data from the Awasis Agency of Northern Manitoba, which oversees child and family services across the 11 KTC First Nations, which says 36 children have died from various causes since 2022. Medical causes accounted for the largest number among the causes cited. – nine deaths.

“If we received the support we need to help our families, those critical incidents would be reduced,” Wastesicoot said.

“We have a lot of solutions, but we don’t have a partner willing to support those solutions.”

The federal government needs to pay immediately: “first, repay everything that is owed today, but (also) come up with money so we can help our people,” he said.

‘Uncertainty, instability and anxiety’

Kennedy said the Indigenous Services representative in Manitoba has not adequately responded to many requests for information about the Jordan Principle from First Nations, intensifying what she says is a “funding crisis.”

“Inconsistent financing does not create better lives. Inconsistent financing creates uncertainty, instability and anxiety,” he said.

“The Jordan Principle was established to ensure that First Nations children receive the essential public service they need without delay or discrimination.”

Relying on bridge funding is a heavy burden on First Nations communities, which are already underfunded and operating with limited resources, he said.

The situation endangers the well-being of First Nations children and families, Kennedy said.

“The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal has been clear: Canada must review, approve and fully fund services for First Nations children and youth,” he said.

“This ruling means that the well-being of our children should not be subject to financial uncertainty.”

Indigenous Services had not responded to CBC’s request for comment before publication.