10 Years And 4 Rulings Later, First Nations Children Are Still Waiting For Equity – Huffington Post

Universal principles for policy-making include giving priority to the best interests of the child, and fair, non-discriminatory treatment.

On June 21, Canada celebrates National Aboriginal Day. In the words of Governor-General Romeo LeBlanc, who proclaimed this special day 21 years ago, “Aboriginal peoples of Canada have made and continue to make valuable contributions to Canadian society and it is considered appropriate that there be, in each year, a day to mark and celebrate these contributions and to recognize the different cultures of the Aboriginal peoples of Canada.”

Unfortunately, this year’s celebration lives in the shadow of a recent ruling of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, which focuses on Jordan’s Principle. This Principle aims to ensure that First Nations children can access public services on the same terms as all other children without experiencing any service denials, delays or disruptions related to their First Nations status. The government first approached should pay for services that would ordinarily be available to other children in Canada. If there is a dispute between government departments over payment for services, it can be settled afterwards.

Read More: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/unicef-canada/first-nations-children-equity_a_22584226/