APTN National News
Jordan’s Principle was supposed to be the answer to First Nation issues that often trigger federal and provincial government fights.
Those debates have to do with money and who is going to pay for certain services.
Few jurisdictions in Canada even honour the agreement that was unanimously passed in the House of Commons.
Conservative Senator Patrick Brazeau and NDP Aboriginal affairs critic Jean Crowder discuss the issue on APTN National News’ political panel.
this is not a partisan issue as the house of commons motion vote indicated. nadditionally, the jurisdictional dispute argument, as jean crowder says, is irrelevant – this is the point of jordan’s principle. tnhe fact that the children are not receiving services violates basic human rights. nthe other fact that often gets lost is that the provincial governments do not deliver healthcare on-reserve – FN children do not have universal access to healthcare in Canada.
In 2008, children and families of Norway House Cree Nation held signs saying ” Jordan’s Principle: Children first please!” when they held a parade in celebration of Jordan River Anderson, founder of Jordan’s Principle. Three years later people in government, like Senator Brazeau, still struggle to understand what putting children before government red tape means. This lack of implementation has real impacts for children. One need look no further than 34 children in Jordan’s home community that may have to be placed into foster care simply because the Feds want to discontinue paying for in home supports that families off reserve receive. Let’s all show up at the federal and provincial election voting booths wearing our Jordan’s Principle pins and cast a vote for fairness and common sense!