January 13, 2021
(Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh)/Vancouver, B.C.)
The First Nations Leadership Council (FNLC) is extremely disappointed and angered about Canada’s decision to appeal the most recent Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (CHRT) Decision, which expands the eligibility criteria of Jordan’s Principle to non-status First Nations children who are recognized by their community, or who have a parent who is eligible for Indian status.
On December 22, 2020, Canada filed notice of its intention to apply for judicial review of the November 25, 2020 CHRT ruling (2020CHRT36). Canada’s stated position is that the tribunal erred in finding that Canada’s inclusion of Indian Act status provisions as a criterion of eligibility for Jordan’s Principle to be discriminatory and asks that the Federal Court set the decision aside.