Ottawa ‘undermining intent of Jordan’s Principle,’ NWT ministers say

Two NWT ministers say the federal government’s changes to Jordan’s Principle threaten to break promises that the program was set up to fulfill.

Schools in the territory say dozens of educational assistants are set to be laid off following changes to Jordan’s Principle announced in February.

Ottawa has said a decision to no longer fund most requests from off-reserve schools is part of a broader move to ensure the program’s long-term sustainability.

More: ‘Heartbroken’ school staff mull future after Jordan’s Principle cuts

But in a statement on Wednesday, NWT education minister Caitlin Cleveland and health minister Lesa Semmler said they were “deeply concerned about the unintended consequences of these changes, and we are urging swift federal action to protect the progress that’s been made.”

The ministers said Jordan’s Principle had helped graduation rates for Indigenous students in the territory increase by six percent over the past three years and closed other longstanding gaps in service, but that progress was now “at risk.”

Taking care to characterize the funding changes as an act of “the previous federal government” – Justin Trudeau was prime minister at the time – the ministers said the new restrictions reversed “previously approved decisions” and would mean fewer supports for students with complex needs alongside more pressure on teachers.

Wednesday’s statement came on the same day that some Yellowknife educational assistants received letters confirming their employment will cease at the end of August.

The YK1 school district told those workers it had not heard back from Jordan’s Principle managers about the funding required to sustain the positions.

Ministers met with Ottawa counterparts

In their message, the NWT ministers said families were being “left to fight for services their children need and deserve” through the Jordan’s Principle changes, a blunt rebuke of Ottawa in terms the territory rarely uses.

Some of the staff affected by the expected job losses have blamed the GNWT for at least some if not most of that, suggesting the territory had been too reliant on Jordan’s Principle and had not stepped up to fill the gap when uncertainty around that funding emerged. Cleveland has said the GNWT has no money with which to act.

Indigenous Services Canada, approached for comment, said it would work on a response on Thursday. The office of NWT MP Rebecca Alty, who is also the Crown-Indigenous relations minister, has been asked for comment.

“These cuts will deepen inequities and dismantle supports that were finally starting to work – not only in education, but across early childhood development, child and family services, mental health and addictions, and medical travel,” the NWT ministers stated.

“The downstream impacts of these changes will be significant and long-lasting.”

The statement came a week after territorial ministers met with their federal equivalents in Ottawa and Premier RJ Simpson held his first in-person meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney. Multiple Indigenous leaders from the North also made the trip, as did Monfwi MLA Jane Weyallon-Armstrong.

Earlier this week, Simpson said he and colleagues had “made it clear that reconciliation must be reflected in how programs like Jordan’s Principle are funded and delivered.”

But while Simpson and others have praised Ottawa for its “positive” approach to issues like northern infrastructure and Arctic sovereignty, the education and health ministers used their statement to set out a range of major concerns.

They said, for example, that “new administrative requirements – like mandatory health professional referrals – are placing additional burdens on our already overstretched health system,” and diverting resources away from front-line care.

In sum, the ministers said the current federal approach “risks undermining the very intent of Jordan’s Principle” that no First Nations child should be denied access to services because of jurisdictional wrangling or administrative hurdles.

“That’s what led to the creation of this program. Rolling it back now would mean breaking that promise,” they wrote.

“We recognize that these decisions were made under a previous government and that budgetary pressures are real. But northern realities demand northern solutions.”

The ministers called on the federal government to maintain current funding levels “through at least 2026” while developing a “regionally tailored model” with northern and Indigenous partners.

‘Thank you for your service’

In Yellowknife and beyond, educators have continued to express uncertainty and worry over what the fall may bring with many educational assistants gone.

“The most stress that it’s going to cause is on the kids and the families, because they trust these adults and they need these adults in their lives,” said one educational assistant who has been told they are losing their job. They requested anonymity to discuss sensitive details of their employment.

“If those supports are gone and they only have one teacher and no other option, what are they meant to do?” the educational assistant said in an interview.

They also expressed concern about what the dozens of people set to lose their jobs will do next.

“I overheard an EA talking to the principal about applying for EI. Is that our only option? What are we meant to do now that we’re out of work?” they asked.

By Wednesday, a letter from YK1 set out some answers to that question.

In the letter, superintendent Shirley Zouboules said salaries and benefits, where applicable, will continue until August 31 or affected staff can choose a lump sum payout on June 30. Records of employment will then be made available.

“I understand that times like this create uncertainty for you,” Zouboules wrote, providing details of mental health supports.

“Thank you for your service to the students at our school district. I wish you success in your future pursuits.”