OTTAWA -- The New Democrats say they plan to turn up the political pressure on the Liberal government to take action on First Nations child welfare.
The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal has ruled that the government discriminates against First Nations children in its delivery of child welfare services on reserves, and has since issued two compliance orders to compel the Liberals to act.
The NDP plans to introduce a motion Thursday calling on the government to comply with the ruling -- first with an immediate $155-million cash injection, then with a funding plan for future years.
The party also wants the government to adopt Jordan's Principle, which says no aboriginal child should suffer denials, delays or disruptions of health services available to other children due to jurisdictional disputes.
The principle is named for Jordan Anderson, a Cree boy from Norway House, Man., who died in hospital in 2005 after judisdictional disagreements kept him from spending his last years in home care.
Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett has been insisting for months that her government is committed to overhauling child welfare services on reserve.
