For immediate release
October 7, 2025
Federal government must deliver promised funding for First Nations children
First Nations communities in Manitoba file a judicial review in court after government fails to deliver more than half of promised funding
Treaty One Territory – This week, First Nations leaders from Interlake Reserves Tribal Council (IRTC) announced their intention to file a federal court judicial review application against Indigenous Services Canada as the federal government fails to deliver promised Jordan’s Principle funding to support access to essential services for First Nations children and their families in IRTC communities.
“We have repeatedly given the federal government the opportunity to follow through on its commitment and fiduciary duty to First Nations children in our communities, and the federal government continues to fail our children and their families,” said IRTC Chair Chief Cornell McLean. “Despite consistent attempts to get answers from the government and to ensure families in our communities have access to the essential services their children need, they’ve refused to deliver promised funding. We hope the government finally delivers, but if they don’t IRTC has no choice but to file a judicial review application in federal court n to protect our communities.”
Indigenous Services Canada committed to more than $15.5 million to IRTC communities under Jordan’s Principal funding for the 2024-25 fiscal year. Despite this commitment and many attempts to address the funding shortfall, IRTC and its member communities have not received one third of the promised amount, more than five million dollars.
“The government is failing to protect and ensure the best interests of First Nations children in our communities. They understood they had a responsibility to deliver funding to meet the needs of kids in our communities yet are failing to match those words with action,” added IRTC Executive Director Karl Zadnik. “Our communities have had to deliver out-of-pocket while we wait on the government to follow through on what they said they would do. We are unable to service and fulfill our obligations because we have yet to receive more than a third of promised funding, leaving our community leaders to figure out how to address the needs of families in our communities who are going without the urgent support their kids need.”
As it stands, IRTC and its member communities have a backlog of 500 families needing support through Jordan’s Principle and have had to themselves fund more than $1.5 million in support.
-30-
For more information, please contact:
Karl Zadnik
Executive Director, Interlake Reserves Tribal Council
karlzadnik@irtc.ca
