Uqaqtittiji, I first thank my constituents from Nunavut for placing their trust in me so that I can rejoin members in my second term in Parliament.

I thank the member for Winnipeg Centre for submitting a joint letter requesting this emergency debate as well.

I rise today to seek leave for an emergency debate regarding the health and well-being of indigenous children in Canada. The Canadian government has failed first nations, Métis and Inuit children and youth by imposing sweeping new changes to Jordan's principle and Inuit child first initiative applications.

Jordan's principle is a legal obligation directed by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal to address gaps in health care for indigenous children. The principle is named after Jordan River Anderson, who died in hospital at the age of five because the federal and provincial governments avoided responsibility for his care. His legacy must be properly honoured.

How indigenous children and youth are treated has become a national crisis. The federal government unilaterally made changes without considering the impacts on first nations and Inuit children, youth and families. Changes to the requirements to access Jordan's principle and the Inuit child first initiative result in keeping first nations and Inuit children in poverty and less healthy than non-indigenous children. The months-long backlog of cases is 140,000 applications under Jordan's principle, with no clear plan on how to address this matter.

Nunavummiut worked hard to get the ICFI extended, but, during the federal election campaign, the Liberals cancelled the hamlet food voucher program for Inuit children and families. This was a very successful program that served over 15,000 Inuit children. No reason was given for cancelling it. This political decision led Inuit children and families back into situations of poverty.

Nunavut has the highest rate of child poverty in Canada, at 42%; the national rate is 18.1%. Nunavut also has the highest rate of food insecurity of any province or territory. Although the population of Nunavut is small, food insecurity in the territories is of concern to all Canadians, given the scale and severity of the problem.

The NDP and I are seeking an emergency debate so that parliamentarians can discuss the sweeping changes made to Jordan's principle and the Inuit child first initiative and address the failure of the current government to implement the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal's order on Jordan's principle.

I call on you, Uqaqtittiji, to ensure that the country takes seriously the systemic racism and discrimination toward indigenous children and families that is happening and to do your part to demand accountability for indigenous children.

Lori Idlout

$726,526.00