Idlout calls on government to deal with Jordan’s Principle backlog
‘Liberals are not even trying to fix this,’ Nunavut MP says; government member denies charge
NDP MP Lori Idlout demands action from the federal government on the backlog of Jordan’s Principle applications for First Nations children. (File photo by Jeff Pelletier)
Nunavut MP Lori Idlout demanded action Thursday from the federal government to address the backlog of applications for Jordan’s Principle assistance.
“There are over 40,000 Jordan’s Principle requests in the backlog. Liberals are not even trying to fix this,” Idlout, an NDP member, said during question period in the House of Commons.
She said the government is “allowing First Nations children to die while in care.”
Jordan’s Principle is a federally administered program dedicated to helping First Nations children access support, such as education and medical supplies, food and baby products.
It is an equivalent of the Inuit Child First Initiative for which 24 out of 25 Nunavut communities have signed up.
On Nov. 21, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ordered Canada to address a backlog of requests under Jordan’s Principle and consult First Nations groups to find solutions to the issue
The tribunal, a panel that investigates complaints of discriminatory practices, ordered Canada to “immediately deal” with the backlog and report back with a detailed plan, targets and timelines by Dec. 10.
The complaint to the tribunal was filed by First Nations Child and Family Caring Society.
“This backlog was admitted by Canada, and while parties may have different views on the number of backlogged cases, the existence of a backlog is undisputed,” the tribune’s ruling states.
“When will the Liberals stop fighting First Nations children and uphold First Nations’ rights to care?” Idlout asked.
Anthony Housefather, parliamentary secretary to the president of the Treasury Board, responded that the government “cares deeply about First Nations children.”
He noted that since 2016, Indigenous Services Canada has funded approximately 7.8 million approvals for products, services and support for First Nations children.
During that period, the government has committed $3.5 billion through Jordan’s Principle, according to the Indigenous Services Canada website.
That’s about $7,000 for every Indigenous child already spent. And there’s still a backlog.
Get a job and stop depending on the government or others bunch of soft hands these days
Lol it’s not that simple. The north has very few economic/job opportunities. Education system has been poor for decades, affecting future/current employment, not to mention the poorest infrastructure in Canada.
Maybe if Canada did their job this wouldn’t be so backlogged.
Use your brain next time before commenting.
Are you kidding, very few job opportunities??? The GN only has 50% capacity! There’s 100’s of jobs just in the GN alone. Duh
Education is there for you and all paid for, ffs get off your ass and learn something useful rather than just complain and complain. It’s always someone else’s fault why you need a handout, do something for yourself just one time.
Think before YOU comment…
According to NIS, 5,000 jobs remain available to Nunavut Inuit who want them. That’s $200,000,000 worth of yearly wages just sitting there.
What are you smoking and can I have some?
Simple
Invest in your self with education or drivers license and work your ass off there is high demand for drivers especially hamlet so stop being a couch potato or entitled person
I feel like Jordan’s Principle creates a raft of disincentives that unwittingly elevates entitlement while lowering the urgency to strive and work hard. Am I wrong about this?
Or it is a way for the newer generation to have what they need at a young age to be able to strive in the future….
Our points are not mutually exclusive…
Oh really, what’s you’re genius alternative solution then?
Haven’t heard peep from her since the last election, now all of a sudden she’s popping up here and there with soundbites. Why hasn’t she held grocery stores accountable for keeping as much as 30% of Nutrition North subsidies according to the CBC documentary. Those stories lobbied the government to eliminate Food Mail so they could pass purchasing power savings to consumers. That’s like saying a dog would share a bone but the government did it and sure enough food prices are through the roof. What inquiries did the “pro-people” NDP do? Nothing. Now she’s all over like a fly on meat. Smells like an election soon.
You obviously haven’t done even a simple Google search. Minister Idlout as brought this up many times and there are several articles on it.
You really don’t pay attention do you. Minister Idlout is in the House of Commons speaking about Nunavut all the time. She brings up all our issues and then sits on all her committees and speaks about what we need. Perhaps you should have CPAC on in the background while you work like some of us political nerds to see what is actually going on in the political world instead of relying on the news to determine what is important for you to know. You’re only seeing this information because NN has decided that it’s the right time for you to see it.
Liberals and NDP failed the north. Conservatives only party to invest real dollars and pro economic development policies in the north. Unleash arctic resource development and turn Nunavut into an economic giant.
outside the circle and watching: NDP leader needs to be replaced. The NDP leader plays the find the penny game with people, or cry wolf to get attention, or wears the theatre happy mask and turns around with a sad mask when taking about the Liberals. The biggest and most memorable laugh at the NDP leader was his announcement with words to suggest i.e. “I am going to run to be the Prime Minister”.
I am hopeful a new Government party will be created to represent Arctic, Aborginal, and Métis who speak their concerns specific to their people. The French Block Québécois are established.
I surmize a new Government party mentioned above could respectfully replace the Green Party and their agenda with words of knowledge and experience.
Get a clue People, try Moving up Here, We are Colonized People, The Government mistreated Us Aboriginals, they kidnapped little
children, raped, abused, forced to cut off Our Mother tongue.
You Southern Folks have no clue about Us up here, all You do is judge, come up here for yourself.
We were given only crumbs, get that!
Pity parties aren’t going to get you anywhere
Aqviligruaqmiutaq your words I have read in a book and also learned there has been changes over the past 25 years. Progress is happening and the world is happy for the good changes. Wishing you a better day tomorrow.