Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, second right arrives for a news conference with from left to right, Carolynn Beaty, executive director Sitka Foundation, Olayuk Akesuk, president of the Qikiqtani Inuit Association and Natan Obed, president of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami in Montreal, on Feb. 27.Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press
The Inuit Child First Initiative, a federal program that supports Inuit children, is set to lose its funding next month if Parliament does not resume sitting in time.
The federal government has committed nearly $390-million to the program since its launch in 2019, according to Indigenous Services Canada spokesperson Eric Head. The initiative ensures that Inuit children can readily access health, social and educational services.
The program’s funding will run out March 31, but the Arctic Children and Youth Foundation, which helps families access the program, wants the funding extended until a long-term solution is ready.
That long-term solution is being co-developed with and led by Inuit partners, according to Jennifer Kozelj, a spokesperson for Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau prorogued Parliament in January, and it is scheduled to return on March 24. But an election could be called before it sits again.
Items and services covered by the Inuit Child First Initiative include wheelchairs and mental-health counselling, as well as cultural activities. There is also a food-voucher program that provides families with $500 a month for every child under 18 and an extra $250 a month for children younger than four.
The funding issue has prompted the Arctic Children and Youth Foundation to launch a campaign called True North Left Behind. It is one of a number of organizations voicing concerns.
Executive director Taya Tootoo says the end of funding will only lead to more poverty, which is already a significant issue in a territory such as Nunavut. Nearly 42 per cent of children in the territory live in poverty, more than double the national average, according to advocacy group Campaign 2000.
“What we’re going to see is kids starving, people having nowhere to go, [and] kids not having access to educational supports. We’re going to have just a detriment of child health and wellness in general,” Ms. Tootoo said. “These supports are life-saving, and these supports have been life-changing.”
The foundation helps families with individual requests and runs a number of programs such as speech therapy and autism support via group requests.
The program is based on Jordan’s Principle, which provides health and education supports to First Nations. However, unlike that federal initiative, there is no legal obligation for the government to provide it, according to Ms. Tootoo.
On Monday, NDP MP Lori Idlout, who represents Nunavut, wrote a letter to Ms. Hajdu urging her to be clear about her intentions for the program.
Mr. Head said that from April, 2020, to December, 2024, nearly 12,600 children had individual requests approved, while others received support via group requests.
He added that the government recently made changes to the program to better align it with Jordan’s Principle. Requests now need to include supporting documentation from a professional that clearly links the request to the child’s specific needs, he said.