Putting First Nations children before government red tape
T he debate on private or public payment for health in Canada is an important one but for First Nations children – even getting access to government services otherwise available to Canadian children can be a huge problem. Research has shown that First Nations' children are routinely denied government services available to other children because the federal and provincial governments do not agree on which level of government should pay for Status Indian children.
Jordan was a First Nations child from Norway House Cree Nation who was born with complex medical needs – he remained in hospital unnecessarily due to a jurisdictional dispute between Manitoba and Canada around which government should pay for his at home care costs. This would not have happened if Jordan was non Aboriginal – in that instance the province would have picked up the cost and Jordan would have gone to a family home. As it was, the federal and provincial bureaucrats decided Jordan should stay in hospital while they sorted the jurisdictional issue out. Over two years passed and the jurisdictional dispute was finally settled after the family took legal action – but not in time for Jordan who died in hospital at the age of 5 years never having spent a day in a family home.
In 2005 alone, almost 400 First Nations in a sample of 12 of the 105 First Nations child and family service agencies were denied government services that were otherwise available to Canadian children. Unfortunately, in 2007 the situation is likely not that much better as we hear from many First Nations families and health care providers across the country about other First Nations children who are caught in the same situation as Jordan. In fact, today in Jordan’s home community 37 other children are being denied government funding for the health care services they need because the provincial and federal government are arguing over who should pay.
In memory of Jordan and in honor of his family, we have created Jordan’s Principle which says:
Where government services are available to Canadian children, and a jurisdictional dispute arises around the costs of these services for Status Indian children, the government (federal or provincial / territorial) of first contact pays the cost and then resolves the jurisdictional dispute later.
If this was in place when Jordan was alive he would have at least spent two years in a family home instead of a hospital.
For more information please refer to the Canadian Medical Association Journal Editorial on Jordan’s Principle available on line.
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