Jordan’s Principle is named in honour of Jordan River Anderson who died in a Winnipeg hospital, never having been in his family home because of a jurisdictional battle between the federal and provincial governments on who would pay for his homecare.

As a ‘child first’ principle rooted in substantive equality, Jordan’s Principle requires the government of first contact to consider and evaluate the needs of each individual child, including any needs stemming from their unique cultural background, historical disadvantage, and the lack of on-reserve or nearby services.  A legal rule, Jordan’s Principle requires the federal government to respond to the needs of First Nations children to ensure they can access services when they need them.