Jordan’s Principle funding must be used ‘in responsible ways,’ Ottawa says

The federal government is responding to funding concerns expressed by the Saskatoon Public Schools, after the division announced that 80 temporary educational assistants would be laid off.

This week, Charlene Scrimshaw, the school division’s deputy director of education, said between $5 million and $7 million the division hoped to receive from Indigenous Services Canada through Jordan’s Principle applications has not yet been received, leading to the layoffs.

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The money, she said, would have helped several hundred students in schools across the city.

“We did, in good faith, hire additional educational assistants this year hoping that we would see a similar trend to what we saw in the last six years,” she said.

The program began in 2019, and the money received by schools is used to assist Indigenous students who have a physical or intellectual disability, or other needs.

“Every student has unique needs,” Scrimshaw explained. “Some of them are academic, some of them are social, some are emotional and some are physical. Some have a combination of those needs, so we apply on behalf of a child and their family for whatever that need is at the time.”

But according to a statement from Jennifer Kozelj, press secretary to  Indigenous Services Minister Patty Haidu, provincial governments are responsible for ensuring equal access to services for students.

“(The funding) shouldn’t negate provincial or territorial responsibility. It’s not within the spirit of why Jordan’s Principle was created in the first place,” the statement read.

Funding through Jordan’s Principle, a child-first legal rule in Canada, ensures First Nations children receive necessary government services without delay.

Kozelj’s statement indicated the funding program for schools has grown exponentially in the last few years.

“From 2021-2022, there were 614,350 approved requests, compared to almost 3 million approved requests in 2023-2024, a 367% increase.

“We must use public dollars in responsible ways,” the statement continued. “That is why we are ensuring that the funding is being used appropriately and specifically for First Nations children.”

Kozelj said for the 2024/2025 fiscal year, which isn’t over yet, Indigenous Services Canada is already providing $15.8 to Saskatchewan schools.

“This is in addition to funding provided from (Indigenous Services Canada’s) Elementary and Secondary Education Program for First Nations children and High-Cost Special Education Program,” she wrote.

Shawn Davidson, president of the Saskatchewan School Boards Association, said Saskatoon Public Schools is not the only division in the province, or in Canada, that is dealing with funding delays from Ottawa right now.

“There’s been an increase in the delays in the approval of funding,” Davidson said.

“There’s an increased level of scrutiny being placed upon Jordan’s Principle by Indigenous Services.”

Essentially, Davidson explained, there’s a burden of proof requirement for school divisions to prove that the funding would not be available somewhere else.

Davidson said the issue highlights some of the provincial funding shortfalls many Saskatchewan school divisions have been facing for years.

He said school divisions will be talking to the provincial government about their funding needs, “particularly around supporting students with additional needs.”

Dene Nicholson, CUPE 8443 president, said the layoffs in Saskatoon are “a travesty.”

“The layoffs at Saskatoon Public Schools will hurt all students – but will disproportionately impact Indigenous students,” Nicholson said in a statement.

Despite blaming the issue on “the federal government’s mishandling of applications for funds through Jordan’s Principle,” Nicholson called on the provincial government to provide emergency stopgap funding to the school division.

“This will limit the destructive cascade of harm and disruption to classrooms and our kids, and to our members,” Nicholson added.

Scrimshaw said Saskatoon Public Schools has not yet received any information on where their applications stand, or whether the money will eventually come.

She said there has been no indication yet from the provincial government that it will step in to fill the gaps, either.

In a statement from the Ministry of Education, it said, “It’s disappointing that the federal government has decided to reduce funding for vulnerable First Nation Students in Saskatchewan schools.”

It said the Saskatoon Public Schools are receiving approximately $286 million in operating funding from the provincial government for the 2024-25 school year.