First Nations leaders call for Jordan's Principle changes at election rallies in Winnipeg, Thompson

CBC News

· Posted: Apr 25, 2025 9:46 PM EDT | Last Updated: 4 minutes ago

First Nations leaders successful Manitoba called for the national authorities to marque changes to the Jordan's Principle program, portion urging Indigenous voters to caput to the polls, astatine 2 abstracted rallies successful Winnipeg and Thompson, Man., connected Friday. 

Kelvin Lynxleg, enforcement manager of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO), said the Winnipeg and Thompson events were held successful tandem "to amusement a agreed beforehand passim the province." 

"It's important that we set unneurotic and that we fto the authorities cognize that we, arsenic regular citizens, are here. We cognize what the issues are and that we request to support them accountable," Lynxleg said.  

At some rallies, a programme designed to guarantee First Nations children get adjacent entree to wellness attraction and societal services without delays — and the national government's caller changes to it — was astatine the forefront. 

Jordan's Principle is named aft Jordan River Anderson, a five-old-boy from Norway House Cree Nation successful Manitoba who had aggregate disabilities. He died successful infirmary 20 years ago, aft waiting 2 years for the national and provincial governments to hold connected who would money his at-home care. 

Advocates accidental their children person been near waiting excessively agelong for authorities support. 

In December, Ottawa confirmed determination were 140,000 backlogged requests. 

"The waiting clip for immoderate requests, it's not right," said Nangmalik Wiseman of Keewatin Tribal Council, who attended the rally successful Thompson.

Wiseman said she has heard of requests submitted much than six months agone that person not yet received a reply. 

In February, the authorities said it would constrictive the types of requests covered nether the program, pursuing allegations it was being misused for non-urgent matters. New limits were enactment connected location renovations, planetary travel, non-medical supports and immoderate acquisition requests. 

Fox Lake Cree Nation Okimakan Morris Beardy, who was astatine the Thompson event, said it's "shameful" to spot "finger-pointing" betwixt antithetic levels of government. 

"The deficiency of backing and the bureaucracy that's happening with the authorities is not right. You can't beryllium playing with our children's lives, due to the fact that each kid matters," said Beardy. 

David Wiseman of the Manitoba Inuit Association says the programme should beryllium led by First Nations. 

"Programs should beryllium administered by its radical for its people. Give the radical a chance, fto them admit what our kids need, not what the national authorities needs ... That's the bottommost enactment for us," said Wiseman.

At The Forks successful Winnipeg, rally-goers wearing achromatic "First Nations Rock The Vote" T-shirts stood among the hundreds gathered to perceive assemblage leaders telephone for alteration successful Ottawa.

MKO Grand Chief Garrison Settee says caring for children is simply a "sacred responsibility" and a cardinal argumentation contented successful this year's election. 

"The authorities has failed our children, but we volition not basal and ticker this happen," Settee told the crowd, which besides included New Democratic Party campaigner Leah Gazan (Winnipeg Centre) and Liberal campaigner Rebecca Chartrand (Churchill-Keewatinook Aski). 

"It's important that each 1 of america stone the ballot this coming election, due to the fact that our nations beryllium connected it, our children beryllium connected it."

Many children and young radical were among the crowds successful Winnipeg and Thompson, immoderate holding airy bluish teddy bears, a ocular awesome for Jordan's Principle. 

One younker person took the podium to impulse those 18 and older to see policies that impact Indigenous children and young radical erstwhile they formed their votes adjacent week. 

"Jordan's Principle is not an entitlement. It is simply a indebtedness — a indebtedness agelong overdue," said Youth Chief Billy Bird of Peguis First Nation.  

"Our younker request enactment and our younker request to beryllium heard."

Election time is Monday, April 28.