Ottawa commits $1.55B to Jordan Principle
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The federal government is pledging $1.55 billion in funding to ensure First Nations children have equal access to public services next year.
Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gul-Musty made the announcement at a news conference in the House of Commons on Thursday afternoon.
In a statement before the news conference, he said the commitment would reduce uncertainty for First Nations Concerns were raised about long-term funding. Of legal initiative.
“Jordan’s principle must work for those who depend on it,” Gul-Masti said.
“We will continue to work with First Nations leadership and families to ensure that the Jordanian Principle remains predictable, practical, and based on fairness and respect.”
On Thursday, Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gul-Musty said the federal government is committing $1.55 billion in funding to the Jordan Principle, which aims to ensure First Nations children get essential services without delays caused by jurisdictional disputes between governments.
After whom is Jordan’s principle named? Jordan River Anderson, a boy from Norway House Cree Nation in manitoba. She died at the age of five in 2005 during a two-year battle between Manitoba and Ottawa over who would pay the costs of home care associated with her complex genetic disorder.
In 2007, the House of Commons unanimously passed a motion in Anderson’s name to adopt the child-first principle to ensure that First Nations children receive needed services without delays caused by jurisdictional disputes between governments.
The Jordan Principle allows families to submit requests for medical, mental health, educational and physiotherapy needs.
Although it provides life-saving aid, it is struggling to keep up with the increase in demand Pay service providers on time.
Indigenous Services Canada, which runs the initiative, reported Backlog of 140,000 applications for Jordan’s principle Urgent with 25,000 labels by the end of 2024.
The federal department said more than 10 million products, services and support were approved under the Jordan Principle between July 2016 and September 30, 2025.
The funding is intended to respond to that continued demand over the past decade, while continuing work with First Nations leaders and families to improve Jordan’s principle.
The new federal funding, which is scheduled to run until 2027, comes as Gul-Masti faces criticism for not rescinding an operational bulletin issued last year that limited the scope of services covered by Jordan’s principle.
The bulletin prohibits approvals for home renovations, sporting events, international travel, non-medical assistance or school-related requests unless they are needed to ensure equality with children who are not First Nations.
Those changes have been criticized by First Nations leaders, who say their communities are now unable to get educational and mental health support for children who once qualified under Jordan’s principle.
