On February 2, 2026, the community of Norway House, Manitoba, marked the anniversary of Jordan River Anderson’s death and the movement meant to ensure First Nations children can access medical and social supports without delay.
The First Nations Finance Authority (FNFA) issued a public remembrance on February 2, 2026, highlighting the case of Jordan River Anderson, a boy from Norway House Cree Nation who died on Feb. 2, 2005. Jordan was hospitalized from birth until his death at age five after federal and provincial governments disputed who should pay for his in-home care.
That situation helped inspire Jordan’s Principle — a child-first rule that says the government of first contact should pay for a child’s needed service immediately and resolve payment disputes later. Indigenous Services Canada describes the policy as intended to make sure First Nations children can access products, services and supports when they need them, without being delayed by jurisdictional or funding disputes.
Even with recent multibillion-dollar settlements and reform commitments, groups such as the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society say more work remains. The Federal Court approved a roughly $23.34-billion settlement in 2023 to compensate people harmed by underfunding of on-reserve child-welfare services; later negotiations and commitments have discussed larger long-term reform funding (reports have cited figures up to $47.8 billion). Advocates say families in remote communities continue to face service gaps and wait times when trying to access supports under Jordan’s Principle.
Residents in Norway House are using this anniversary to call for more local health and social services so families do not have to travel hundreds of kilometres — roughly 800 km by road to Winnipeg — for basic supports. They say the promise made in Jordan’s name must be fully kept for children in their community today.
