Minister Cleveland urges more federal support for Inuit Child First & Jordan’s Principle

The Minister of Education, Culture, and Employment, Caitlin Cleveland, issued a statement on the recent announcement that the Federal Government would be providing extra funding for the Inuit Child First Initiative.

She stated that this new funding is a welcome signal that the government now understands how important support structures like this are for Inuit families, and that even minor support is preferable to leaving struggling families to fend for themselves.

However, Minister Cleveland makes it clear that there is more to be done.

“While this announcement provides short-term certainty in terms of funding for Inuit Child First, that certainty has not yet been extended to Jordan’s Principle, and there has been no indication that the guidelines for Inuit Child First or Jordan’s Principle have changed in a way that improves access in the Northwest Territories.”

Cleveland adds that the GNWT is still waiting to hear from the Federal government on how Inuit Child First and Jordan’s Principle will be applied to the North.

“In the North, Jordan’s Principle and Inuit Child First have never been “extra.” They are critical programs that help close long-standing gaps in services and give students the support they need to learn, grow, and thrive, particularly in small and remote communities where options are limited and supports are already scarce and stretched.

“We are cautiously optimistic that this announcement reflects a growing awareness in Ottawa that territorial realities require territorial solutions, and that similar announcements will follow for our schools and communities. Territories are not provinces, and while Jordan’s Principle and Inuit Child First were established based on provincial–federal relations, the need for a distinct arrangement with territorial governments remains.”

Cleveland urges Federal leaders to consider the impacts that changes to Jordan’s Principle and Inuit Child First can have on communities. Fewer resources for adults supporting children with special needs leads to extra strain on already overworked educators, which then leads to worse educational outcomes for those children.

“Short-term extensions and temporary fixes are not enough. Families, communities, and service providers need stability, predictability, and long-term approaches across Inuit Child First and Jordan’s Principle that are co-developed with Indigenous partners and territorial governments, with respect for how services are actually delivered in the North. Concerns raised by Indigenous leaders and parliamentarians about one-year renewals and shifting administrative rules being little more than stopgaps resonate here as well. Children and families deserve better than a cycle of uncertainty.”