APTN National News
It was recommendation number three in the Truth and Reconciliation report released June 2: We call upon all levels of government to fully implement Jordan’s Principle.
That principle is named after Jordan River Anderson, a boy from Norway House First Nation, about 800 kilometres north of Winnipeg.
Jordan suffered from Fineman Ziter Syndrome, a muscular disorder that required either a stay in hospital, or extensive home care.
After spending two years in a Winnipeg hospital, doctors decided Jordan could go home if the right nursing care was provided.
The debate between Canada and the province of Manitoba began; who would pay for his care at home?
Jordan died in hospital before Canada and Manitoba could come to an agreement.
That was 2005.
In 2007, the House of Commons voted unanimously to pass a motion by NDP MP Jean Crowder. The motion was called Jordan’s Principle. It spelled out what should happen if a First Nation child with special needs living on reserve was sick and needed services that would be readily available to any child living off-reserve.
Seven years after that motion was passed, APTN correspondent Trina Roache decided to take a look at whether First Nations children are in a better place now.
Outside the Circle: the Status of Jordan’s Principle is a three part look at what First Nations families face when looking for health care.
Here is part 1:
Here is Part 2:
Here is Part 3:
On June 6, at the Canadian Association of Journalist conference in Halifax, Trina won the award for Human Rights Reporting for this series.
If you have a story to tell, please do not hesitate to contact Trina at:
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