Recognizing ongoing inequities experienced by First Nations children when accessing health, social, and educational services
Screen shot of Spirit Bear from the music video: Spirit Bear & Friends-"A LOVE WE KNOW".
Original animation from "Spirit Bear and Children Make History", directed by Amanda Strong.
Bear Witness Day is an annual observance held on May 10 and serves to honour Jordan River Anderson, a child from Norway House Cree Nation, and to encourage people of all ages to “bear witness” to ensure the full implementation of Jordan’s Principle, a legal rule named after him.
Jordan’s Principle was first articulated in a First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada report dated May 10, 2005.1The report notes that the predominant strategy in First Nations health and social services delivery was to “put the needs of the child on the back burner while governments sort out who is going to assume cost.” As a remedy, the report recommends the adoption of a “child first principle,” citing the case of Jordon River Anderson, who passed away at age five after spending his entire life in hospital due to government departments wrangling over which would be responsible for paying for home care.
Jordan’s Principle gained unanimous support in the House of Commons in 2007.2 However, the failure of governments to fully implement the Principle led to its inclusion as the 3rd Call to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s 2015 report.3
In 2016, the situation was denounced in a ruling by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (CHRT). Indeed, multiple non-compliance orders issued by the CHRT before and since the ruling confirm ongoing, discriminatory treatment of First Nations children.4
Over 20 years after the creation of Jordan’s Principle, Bear Witness Day serves as a reminder that many First Nations children still struggle to receive timely and equitable educational, health, and social services.
How to get involved
From hosting a teddy bear tea party to writing to your member of parliament, there are many ways to participate and “bear witness”:
- Learn more about the Canadian Human Rights Tribuanl (CHRT) ruling and Jordan’s Principle.
- Support the work of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society, a non-profit organization supporting evidence-informed materials and resources and working to achieve culturally-based equity for First Nations children and youth.
- Invite friends, neighbours and family to bring their favourite teddy bear or stuffed animal to a tea party. Post your photos of the party on social media using hashtags #JordansPrinciple and #BearWitnessDay.
- Write a letter to the prime minister or your member of parliament and voice your support for the full implementation of Jordan’s Principle.