Jordan's Principle

Jordan's Principle is a child-first principle to ensure First Nations children get the services they need when they need them.

To submit a request for services through Jordan's Principle, call the Jordan's Principle 24-hour Call Centre: 1-855-JP-CHILD (1-855-572-4453) or visit canada.ca/jordans-principle.

If you have any difficulties accessing services through Jordan's Principle, please contact the 24-hour Jordan's Principle Call Centre, your provincial child advocate or ombudsperson or please refer to the list on our Contact page.

In the Spotlight:

On August 29, 2024, Canada submitted its reply factum as part of the Jordan's Principle non-compliance motion.
- Read the reply factum.

UPDATED (August 2024): Read our information sheet on the Caring Society's non-compliance motion v. Canada on Jordan's Principle.
- Read the information sheet.

On August 8, 2024 the Caring Society submitted its responding written submissions on Canada's cross-motion and in response to the First Nations Leadership Council's factum to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal as part of the Jordan's Principle non-compliance motion.
- Read the written submissions.

On August 2, 2024, the Tribunal granted the First Nations Leadership Council Interested Party status, with some limitations.
- Read 2024 CHRT 95.

On July 30, 2024, the Tribunal ruled on Canada's confidentiality motion with respect to its March affidavits.
- Read 2024 CHRT 92.

On July 30, 2024, AFN, the CHRC, COO, and NAN filed written submissions to the Tribunal regarding Canada's cross-motion and the First Nations Leadership Council's submissions.

On July 16, 2024, the First Nations Leadership Council Interested Party filed their written submissions to the Tribunal as part of the Jordan's Principle non-compliance motion.
- Read the written submissions.

On July 11, 2024, AFN, COO, NAN and Canada released the Draft Child and Family Services Final Settlement Agreement. The Caring Society put together several informational resources.
- Read the review guide. (July 2024)
- Read the infographic on the governance structure of the reformed FNCFS program. (July 2024)
- Read the information sheet on capital funding per the draft FSA. (July 2024)

NEW (July 2024): Read our summary of the legal actions taken related to the Tribunal case for First Nations kids:
- Read the information sheet.

Learn more about Jordan's Principle:

Back to Basics Approach for Improving Outcomes Under Jordan's Principle information sheet (2023).

Summary of the Tribunal's orders on Jordan's Principle Information Sheet updated May 2023.

Check out the FNCARES Fall Webinar, Jordan's Principle: Back to Basics (October 2023).
- Watch the webinar.

Infographic: How to Access Services and Supports Through Jordan's Principle (2023)

Check out this independent report on Jordan's Principle data released by the Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy (IFSD), University of Ottawa.

Jordan River Anderson, The Messenger, a National Film Board documentary by celebrated filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin.
As a party to the Tribunal case, the Caring Society continues to monitor federal compliance with the orders and raise concerns about Canada's implementation of Jordan's Principle. Read about our concerns and suggested remedies here (updated April 2021).
Jordan’s Principle and Children With Disabilities and Special Needs: A Resource Guide and Analysis of Canada’s Implementation (2021)
Jordan's Principle Youth Public Service Announcement (PSA): Short version; Long version; American Sign Language
First Nations Child and Family Service Agency Funding Changes per the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (including information on Jordan's Principle).

Background

Jordan’s Principle is a legal rule named in memory of Jordan River Anderson, a First Nations child from Norway House Cree Nation in Manitoba. Born with complex medical needs, Jordan spent more than two years unnecessarily in hospital, waiting to leave, while the Province of Manitoba and the federal government argued over who should pay for his at home care—care that would have been paid for immediately had Jordan not been First Nations. Jordan died in the hospital at the age of five years old, never having spent a day in a family home.

With the support of their community of Norway House Cree Nation and others, Jordan’s family gifted his name to the creation of child-first principle to ensure First Nations children could access the services they need without denial, delay, or disruption.

Unfortunately, despite the unanimous support of the House of Commons in 2007 for a broad definition, the federal government went on to implement Jordan’s Principle in a manner so narrow that few, if any, First Nations children qualified.

In a landmark ruling on January 26, 2016, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (CHRT or Tribunal) ruled that Canada’s definition of Jordan’s Principle was discriminatory and ordered the federal government to take immediate measures to implement the full and proper scope of Jordan’s legacy.

Canada failed to comply with the Tribunal’s ruling and three months later, in April 2016, the CHRT issued its first non-compliance order against Canada. In all, the Tribunal has been forced to issue more than 20 additional orders, many of them non-compliance orders against Canada. The Tribunal orders have led to over 1.4 million products, services, and supports for First Nations kids through Jordan's Principle. The Tribunal has also ordered Canada to review previous service requests dating from April 1, 2009, whether made pursuant to Jordan's Principle or otherwise, to determine what supports children/youth would or should have received had Canada applied the proper definition of Jordan's Principle.

Jordan's Principle

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