Jordan’s Principle Review In the Works
Tuesday, July 15, 2008 at 15:24
Saskatchewan’s Minister of First Nations and Metis Relations says the province is generating a report on the viability of the so-called Jordan’s Principle.
Jordan’s Principle was created a few years ago by the Manitoba government in the wake of a jurisdictional argument it had with Ottawa.
For two years, neither side could agree on who should pay for Jordan’s care on his reserve, leaving the four-year-old without the chance to grow up in a home.
June Draude says the government is creating a report on the issue.
However, she says she’s not aware of any specific cases in this province that compare to the Manitoba tragedy.
But Saskatchewan’s children’s advocate says there are still too many instances where jurisdictional squabbling is hurting on-reserve kids.
Marvin Bernstein says some youth lose alternative substitutes for behavioural disorders when they leave reserves.
He also says some situations have occurred where children from the same family were treated differently depending on whether they were apprehended on-reserve or not.
Bernstein says the government should adopt Jordan’s Principle in light of cases like this.
Premier Brad Wall recently endorsed the idea, but said questions about the federal government’s involvement in the plan had to be answered first before the province adopted it.