Jordan’s Principle and Indigenous Children with Disabilities in Canada: Jurisdiction, Advocacy, and Research

At the center of this article about Canada’s jurisdictional health wrangling and funding inequities are Indigenous children struggling to live with disabilities in impoverished First Nations communities set inside one of the wealthiest countries in the world (World Monetary Fund, 2014). Significant health disparities exist for First Nations people in Canada no matter where they live (Assembly of First Nations [AFN], 2008; First Nations Health Authority, 2013), and the inequities are particularly evident for First Nations children living with disabilities (Blackstock, 2011, 2012; Durst, 2006; Jordan’s Principle Working Group, 2015; Sinha & Blumenthal, 2014). Indigenous children with disabilities, their families, and communities experience denials, delays, disruptions,

and challenges to access health services due to a number of government jurisdictional and funding issues (Jordan’s Principle Working Group, 2015). However, recent advocacy and research on their behalf might offer promise to create pathways through the challenges (First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada (FNCFCSC), 2014a; Jordan’s Principle Working Group, 2015).