Advocate says 'not as many requests' for care after years of Jordan's Principle delays
CBC
Advocates and health care providers say they remain concerned about First Nations kids seeking services under Jordan's Principle even after the Canadian government’s recent promise of $1.55 billion in funding.
Randy Littlechild, chair and president of the First Nations Health Consortium (FNHC) in Edmonton, which helps families with Jordan's Principle applications, said he was pleased to see the funds promised but said there are still significant issues with getting services to children.
"Even though it is a large amount of money, the $1.55 billion, that's over the entire country," Littlechild said.
He added that if you were to divide those funds between the more than 600 First Nations in Canada, each would receive less than $3 million.
"I could see that being gobbled up pretty quick," he said.
At the end of February, the federal government promised funding for Jordan’s Principle to March 2027 after months of concerns about the program's future.
Jordan’s Principle is a legal rule ensuring First Nations kids get timely access to public health and social services without bureaucratic delays over which government (provincial/territorial or federal) should pay for it.
Littlechild said last year the FNHC saw a decrease in funds toward dentists, occupational therapists and educational supports. He added that a backlog in unadjudicated files still needs to be addressed.
CBC Indigenous has previously reported that there was a backlog of 140,000 requests.
In a statement regarding the announcement of the new funds, the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society called the backlog "a violation of children’s human rights."
"Jordan’s Principle is not a program of goodwill — it is a court- and [Canadian Human Rights] Tribunal-affirmed legal obligation,” the statement said.
Littlechild said children in Alberta have seen a decrease in the funding available for them over the past fiscal year, to less than $12 million from around $40 million.
He said it’s led to an alarming change.
"We've noticed that the people are starting to not make as many requests because they're feeling like it's not happening," Littlechild said.
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