AFN National Chief calls for immediate implementation of Jordan's Principle

WINNIPEG - Jordan River Anderson, a First Nation boy from Norway House Cree Nation in Manitoba, was 5 years old when he died. Born with a rare neuromuscular disorder, he needed constant medical care. He became the centre of a "it's your responsibility to take care of his medical bills" dispute, and subsequently died in hospital without receiving care in a family home.

His death spawned "Jordan's Principle"; that no First Nations child should be denied health or medical care because of jurisdictional disputes between different levels of government. If a dispute arises, the government of first contact is to pay all costs with no delay in the child's care. Re-imbursement of costs, if necessary, can come at a later date.

Six years after his death, and more than two years after both Canadian and Manitoban governments agreed to work together on implementing Jordan's Principle, Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo and AFN Manitoba Regional Chief Bill Traverse have recently called for effective and immediate implementation.

"Jordan's Principle reminds us that no child should be denied health or medical services because of jurisdictional disputes between federal and provincial/territorial governments," said AFN National Chief Shawn Atleo. It has now been six years since the tragic death of Jordan Anderson, and we continue to call on all governments to work with First Nations to ensure the full and proper implementation of Jordan's Principle, including support for the Declaration on Action for the Implementation of Jordan's Principle as put forth by the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs. We can all agree that every child deserves respect, care and equitable treatment and First Nations children must not be treated differently."

Jordan's Principle is consistent with government obligations set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and many federal, provincial and territorial child-focused statutes.

A Jordan's Principle Case is defined as a case that involves;

• a First Nations child who is a registered First Nation or eligible to be registered as a status Indian;
• a First Nations child ordinarily resident on-reserve;
• a First Nations child who has been assessed by authorized health or social professionals as having multiple disabilities requiring multiple service providers;
• normative standards of care, which are the standards of programs, services and benefits provided to children with similar needs and who live in a similar geographic location; and
• a jurisdictional funding dispute between the federal and provincial governments.

TOP IMAGE: Screen grab of First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada, www.fnfcs.com/jordans-principle

Winnipeg - Winnipeg City News