Jordan’s Principle

Every child deserves access to services like health care and educational support. However, First Nations children have not always had access to the same services as other Canadian children. This is because different levels of government fund different services for First Nations children, which has led to disputes between governments about who should pay for which services. 

Jordan River Anderson was a First Nations child from Norway House Cree Nation in Manitoba. He was born in 1999 with multiple disabilities that required hospitalization from birth. When he was two years old, doctors determined that Jordan could receive home-based care. However, the federal and provincial governments could not agree on who was financially responsible for the necessary at-home care. The dispute continued for over two years. Jordan stayed in the hospital until he passed away in 2005. 

In 2007, the House of Commons passed a motion that created Jordan’s Principle, named in memory of Jordan. Jordan’s Principle holds that First Nations children must not be denied access to public services due to jurisdictional disputes about which government should pay for the service. It is a child-first principle wherein the government of first contact pays for the service and jurisdictional disputes are resolved later. 

Jordan’s Principle applies to all First Nations children who are under the age of majority (which is 19 in New Brunswick) and have an identified need for a service or support, regardless of their health, social status, or place of residence (on or off reserve).

Each child’s situation is unique, and the services covered by Jordan’s Principle are equally diverse. Any public service that is available to all other Canadian children is included in Jordan’s Principle coverage. If a service is not necessarily available to other children or is an exceptional service, the child will still have their needs evaluated to determine if the service will ensure substantive equality. Services above normative standards are also considered in the name of substantive equity. 

Examples of the services covered by Jordan’s Principle include but are not limited to:

• mobility aids
• wheelchair ramps
• services from Elders
• assessments and screenings
• medical supplies and equipment
• mental health services 
• specialized hearing aids
• traditional healing services
• services for children in care
• transportation to appointments
• long-term care for children with specialized needs
• therapeutic services for individuals or groups (speech therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy)

• land-based activities
• personal support worker
• respite care (individual or group)
• specialized programs based on cultural beliefs and practices 
• social worker
• specialized summer camp

• specialized items for schools
• tutoring services
• teaching assistants 
• psychoeducational assessments
• assistive technology and electronics
• school supplies
• specialized school transportation