Jordan River Anderson, a young boy from Norway House Cree Nation in Manitoba passed away at just five years old because the federal and provincial governments couldn't agree on who should pay for his at-home care. To keep a tragedy like this from ever happening again, Jordan's Principle was created: a legal rule that states all First Nations children are able to receive basic necessities, medical care, and support they require immediately, with governments handling finances afterwards. However, funding gaps continue to this day, and not just in healthcare. By implementing the Spirit Bear Plan, we can ensure that the Canadian government holds up to its legal and moral obligations to First Nations communities across Canada.

Today, over 165,000 First Nations children still bear the burden of the broken system and decades of underfunding. Rather than receiving the immediate support that they both require and are legally owed, thousands of families have to fight through layers of governmental red tape and stalling tactics. Each day that the federal government delays equitable funding, a poorly underfunded child welfare system separates more families, decades-old infrastructure leaves children without safe schools, arbitrary funding caps on health facilities obstruct proper healthcare, and poor maintenance combined with outdated formulas for funding water systems leave many without proper clean water. We cannot allow another generation of First Nations children to live as second-class citizens in their own country.

We are calling on Parliament and the Government of Canada to immediately and thoroughly implement the Spirit Bear Plan. Created by the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society, this five-point process can serve as a fundamental blueprint to end discriminatory practices, ensure legal compliance, and guarantee fair, equitable, and just funding for First Nations children. It’s time for Canada to stop its endless cycle of delays and legal battles, and to start honoring Jordan’s legacy.