Campaign for federal and provincial governments to adopt a child-first principle underway
Press Release from Advisory Council for Women
Treat the children first - Figure out who to bill later!
Encourage federal and provincial governments to adopt a child-first principle - Jordan’s Principle - to resolving jurisdictional disputes involving the care of First Nations children.
A coalition of national Aboriginal and health organizations is calling on federal and provincial governments to adopt it and numerous associations, including the Canadian Paediatric Association and the Canadian Medical Association Journal, have endorsed it.
Under Jordan's Principle, when a dispute arises between two governments over payment for services for an on-reserve First Nations child that are available to other Canadian children, the government of first contact would pay for without delay, then refer the matter to jurisdictional dispute mechanisms.
Although the federal government covers health care services for Status Indians on reserve, the funding for children with disabilities falls short of what children off-reserve receive and provincial governments don’t cover the difference. First Nations parents often place their children with disabilities in child welfare care so they can be sure the children get access to the specialized services they need. Jurisdictional disputes involving the costs of caring for First Nations children are common, with nearly 400 occurring in 12 sample First Nations child and family service agencies in one year.
Jordan was a First Nations child from Norway House, Man., who was born with complex medical needs and languished in hospital for 2 years while the federal and provincial governments argued over who would pay for his at-home care. Jordan died in hospital, having never spent a day in a family home.
Encourage members in your network to advocate for Jordan’s Principle.
Send a letter to the federal Minister of Health, Tony Clement.
Send a letter to your provincial Minister of Health.
Template letters are available at www.manyhandsonedream.ca/english/TemplateLetter.doc
Call your Member of Parliament to discuss this issue.
Contact info for ministers: www.manyhandsonedream.ca/english/FPT_HealthMinisters.xls