For the past five years, the Jordan’s Principle nutrition program has provided all Yukon First Nations children with two healthy meals a day, but those who run the program say recent changes to the eligibility requirements for Jordan’s Principle could change that.
Jordan’s Principle is a human rights principle established by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal to make sure that First Nations children do not face gaps, delays or denials in accessing government services because of their identity as First Nations children.
The focus of the program hasn’t changed, but the requirements for funding have.
“In February, the federal government sent down, for Jordan’s Principle [funding], new operational requirements for reporting and applying,” said Melanie Bennett, executive director for the Yukon First Nation Education Directorate (YFNED).
Bennett said the new requirements call for each individual child’s name and status card number to be attached to each funding proposal. She called the new requirements “tedious” and said she doesn’t understand what they are meant to accomplish.
“Those operational requirements now put a significant barrier, in my eyes, on the access to the funds.”
Impact on rural nutrition programs
Bennett said the changes to Jordan’s Principle negatively impact First Nations nutrition programs in Yukon, especially in rural communities.
She said YFNED fully operates the nutrition program offered in Whitehorse. But in rural communities, YFNED only writes the funding proposals to Jordan’s Principle and does a “service co-ordination” that supports the local First Nations that implement the program themselves.
Bennett said many Yukon First Nations are already working at full capacity. She said adding extra administrative work puts even more pressure on their staff.
“Let’s say I have a hundred children and I’ve now provided information on that, but one month later I have three hundred children. What’s the mechanism in place that I’m going to be able to ensure that there will be an adjustment on that funding?”
Bennett said that right now, the changes to Jordan’s Principle don’t come with any straightforward ways to get funding adjusted as programs grow, and there are privacy issues as well.
“When you have to identify numbers and names, we have to make sure that that information is being kept confidential and secure. We weren’t provided from the federal government any method or path we could use that would ensure that,” she said.
Bennett said YFNED wants to show Indigenous Services Canada and Jordan’s Principle that the way things have been going for the past five years has been working well in the Yukon. The organization is urging the federal government to rethink its new requirements.
Bennett said YFNED has secured funding for the nutrition program until the end of July.
Yukon MP says concerns are being heard
Yukon’s Liberal MP Brendan Hanley said the new requirements for Jordan’s Principle funding are in place across every province and territory in Canada — not just Yukon. He said they are aimed at improving the tracking of funds, and accountability of those accessing them.
“I think what the department is trying to do is have more clarity and consistency around the criteria in general,” Hanley said.
Hanley said he’s heard from YFNED and Yukon First Nations about their concerns over the changes. He said he has relayed those concerns to both the previous and current ministers of Indigenous Services Canada and trusts the message was heard loud and clear.
“Minister [Mandy] Gull-Masty is herself Indigenous, and I know Jordan’s Principle for her is a large priority,” He said.
“Of course, there’s work to be done. Jordan’s Principle will be honoured, and we will let the departments and ministers work out how the funding will be secured, as well as where this personal information that’s being required is not a good fit for how the program is delivered through YFNED.
“I obviously can’t give you a definitive answer but I can tell you that we have relayed those concerns, and I will continue to be a part of that conversation,” Hanley said.
