Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs
The AMC Jordan’s Principle Implementation Team is hosting the AMC Jordan’s Principle Virtual Research Symposium on March 15th at 10 am, where regional research related to Jordan’s Principle will be explored relating to recommendation #13 of The Implementation of Jordan’s Principle in Manitoba Final Report: Commit to funding a First Nations owned and controlled program of research to support the further implementation of Jordan’s Principle.
Agenda at a Glance
10:00 AM - 10:40 AM
Carol Blair
Jordan’s Principle: Key Findings on the Implementation of Jordan’s Principle Across Canada
Jordan’s Principle, Child First Initiative, is an important initiative of Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) in addressing the health, education and social needs of First Nations children and their families. This session will give an overview of the key findings of the implementation of Jordan’s Principle across Canada. We’ll explore the successes and achievements, identify some of the more promising practices in implementing Jordan’s Principle and highlight those areas that continue to need improvement.
Dr. Hiba Zafran
Burying in Itself – Practitioner Perspectives on Navigating Jordan’s Principle Across Provinces and Territories in Canada
Jordan’s Principle would ensure equitable healthcare for First Nations’ children. Although it has been implemented across Canada since 2005, studies outline concerns in the administration of Jordan’s Principle.
The purpose of this multi-method qualitative study was defined in partnership with the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists’ Indigenous Health Network and Truth and Reconciliation Commission Taskforce. Data collection includes the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal hearings and documentation on Jordan’s Principle, transcribed interviews with 16 practitioners across eight provinces/territories who interface with the Jordan’s Principle’s administration, and a total of eight partner meetings with up to 24 practitioners per partner meeting.
Data analysis was iterative using an interpretive descriptive methodology informed by an anti-colonial ethic and in dialogue with partners. Findings outline that the Canadian federal administrative processes underlying Jordan’s Principle follows a colonial logic operationalized through a passive deliberate obscurity and active punitive gatekeeping. The consequences to practitioners include vicarious trauma and job insecurity as they engage in the moral imperative to resist and circumnavigate a system that does not effectively meet the standards of substantive equality.
10:50 AM - 11:40 AM
Helaina Gaspard
Jordan’s Principle and Substantive Equality: What do we know?
How do we know if Jordan’s Principle is achieving substantive equality for First Nations children? What can we learn from the existing approach and data system? The presentation will discuss findings from analysis of Jordan’s Principle data held by Indigenous Services Canada, and will review the applicability of the data in assessing the pursuit of substantive equality. The implementation of Jordan’s Principle and the related information system will be considered.
Jerilyn Huson
Title TBD
I’m Jerilyn Huson, FNHSSM’s eHealth Project Lead. I come from Garden Hill First Nation on my mom’s side and Trinidad on my dad’s side; a total island girl all around. My husband, Brett, and I have two beautiful children, Warren and Ruby, and we’re blessed to come from huge extended families. As the daughter of a residential school Survivor, my guiding force has been to interrupt the transmission of intergenerational trauma while promoting and living First Nations’ values and traditions. My ultimate career goal is to direct all my professional resources and energy to the health, social, and economic prosperity of First Nations people. I received my Bachelor of Arts degree in 2008 and have twenty+ years’ experience working directly with First Nations’ representative organizations, such as the Island Lake Tribal Council, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, and FNHSSM. I absolutely love working with our people; the connections to family, the richness of our knowledges and cultures, and the wisdom to protect the land and the earth it sits on.
12:00 PM - 12:50 PM
Vandna Sinha
The Implementation of Jordan’s Principle in Manitoba: Lessons and Recommendations
First Nations in Manitoba have long advocated for a systemic, holistic, First Nations led system of services that meets the needs of First Nation children. This vision is apparent in the unique approach to implementing Jordan’s Principle in the region. In this session, I will present the results of comprehensive research on The Implementation of Jordan’s Principle in Manitoba. The study was done in partnership between an interdisciplinary group of researchers, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, and an advisory committee. The session will offer an overview of study findings on: the structure of Jordan’s Principle services, the approach to practice, and the barriers to realizing the full potential of Jordan’s Principle within Manitoba. The session will also cover 13 recommendations, made based on study findings, for fully implementing Jordan’s Principle in Manitoba.
Dr. Alain Beaudry, Alexander Gowriluk, and Marin Beck
Costing Jordan’s Principle in Manitoba.
Through a comprehensive analysis of multiple data sources, Waapihk will identify and cost gaps in the provision of Jordan’s Principle. Data from Jordan’s Principle requests will be used to conduct a quantitative analysis and identify gaps in the provision of goods and services for all 63 Manitoba First Nations. This will be further supported by qualitative data assembled by Waapihk Research. In addition, costs associated with the delivery of Jordan’s Principle, such as administration and remoteness, will also be factored into the costing exercise. The goal is to establish a baseline standard for funding Jordan’s Principle in Manitoba.
The presentation will consist of Power Point slides followed by questions form the audience.
12:50 PM - 01:40 PM
Charles Cochrane and Lorna Prince
Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre – Inclusive Education Services
The presentation will focus on the specialized services delivered through the MFNERC Inclusive Education Service Department. A detail of services will be presented, as well as, the service delivery model that can be accessed by First Nations throughout Manitoba.
Marsha Simmons
Supporting the Gifts of First Nation Adults with a Disability Study
01:40 PM - 02:30 PM
Naiomi Metallic and Shelby Thomas
Doing Better of Indigenous Children and Families: A Report on Jordan’s Principle Accountability Mechanisms
We will provide an overview of the contents of our report and take questions.
In Part 1 of the report, we attempt to summarize the long history that forms the context of the need for independent accountability measures to meaningfully address the discrimination identified by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal in the Caring Society case and prevent similar practices in the future.
Drawing from this context, in Part 2, we set out what we identify as 10 key accountability needs of Indigenous children and families that must be addressed in order to provide effective accountability.
Finally, in Part 3, we discuss features of effective accountability mechanisms and propose three interconnected mechanisms that we believe address the accountability needs, namely a National Indigenous Child Advocate, a National Indigenous Child and Family Tribunal and National Legal Services for Indigenous children and families. Any of these three mechanisms, individually, would serve to provide greater protection of the rights of Indigenous children and families from the discrimination found in the Caring Society case by improving government accountability. However, as outlined in this report, none are sufficient, on their own, to address all of the identified accountability needs. Therefore, we reach the conclusion that combining all three mechanisms would be the most effective way of preventing discrimination from continuing or re-emerging in the future.
Carly Fox
Jordan’s Principle and First Nations – Specific System Racism: A Regional System Review of Federal Programs and Services for First Nations in Manitoba
This presentation outlines the identified institutional and systemic racism in the area of Jordan’s Principle, discusses the systemic reform, and highlights the challenges with the high burden on First Nations to ensure the federal government is accountable in implementation.
