Restore Jordan's Principle supports
Petitioners ask the Government of Canada to restore provincial educational supports under Jordan's Principle for First Nations students living off-reserve. The government responds that individual requests are considered case-by-case and remains committed to Jordan's Principle.
Why we would sign this petition
- Restores supports lost when off-reserve students became ineligible, enabling access to assessments, educational assistants and program supports cited by the petitioners.
- Advances substantive equality by aligning funding with Jordan's Principle to reduce service gaps for First Nations children regardless of where they live.
- Creates a predictable provincial-approval pathway that could replace ad hoc denials and interruptions of supports.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- Provincial school boards and programs are already designated to receive redirected supports, so federal reapproval could duplicate services or blur jurisdictional roles.
- Broad federal approval of provincial supports may be costly and require complex coordination with provinces, trading off other priorities.
- The government states individual requests remain eligible and considered case-by-case, so improving that process might address gaps without a policy reversal.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw attention to the House of Commons to the following: Whereas: First Nations children off-reserve are no longer eligible to receive funding through Jordan's Principle at the federal level, as per the most recent operational bulletin which states, "Supports to school boards off-reserve and private schools will be redirected to provincial school boards, or other existing provincial and federally-funded programs." Students in previous years who accessed funding to support psycho-educational assessments, educational assistants, and program support are no longer eligible to receive these supports. This means the loss of significant supports for Elk Island Catholic off-reserve First Nations students. We contend that the decision to remove these supports is discriminatory to those students who have benefited from Jordan's Principle and is out of line with the intent of the principle itself. Therefore, we the undersigned citizens and residents, call on the Government of Canada to: Review and approve provincial educational supports through Jordan's Principle to students living off-reserve.
Government response
Response by the Minister of Indigenous Services Signed by GINETTE LAVACK Jordan’s Principle, named in memory of Jordan River Anderson, a young boy from Norway House Cree Nation in Manitoba, seeks to make sure that First Nations children have equal access to the essential government-funded services they need, regardless of where they live in Canada. It is a human rights principle and legal obligation under the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, grounded in the legal concept of substantive equality. Jordan's Principle seeks to make sure that First Nations children do not experience gaps or delays in accessing government services, and that they are not denied government services because of their identity as First Nations children. Individual requests for educational products, services, and supports for First Nations children, when accompanied by a letter of support from a qualified professional who can speak to the child’s context, can continue to be submitted to Indigenous Services Canada. Each request is considered on a case-by-case basis, along with the required documentation for the request, while taking into account the distinct needs and circumstances of the child/children. As of March 2025, nearly $10 billion has been invested to meet the needs of First Nations children through Jordan's Principle. We are engaging with First Nations, provincial and territorial partners to strengthen collaboration and ensure that children’s needs are met together. Our top priority has not changed, ensuring First Nations children have access to the products, services, and supports that they need, we are committed to the ongoing implementation and long-term sustainability of Jordan’s Principle.