May 9 Jordan River Anderson “The Messenger” & Bear Witness Day, Winnipeg

Observing the 20th Anniversary of Jordan’s Principle on May 10

The webinar begins with a live cross to Winnipeg where “Bear Witness Day” was held, with Our Children Our Way Executive Director Joni Conlon and comments by Dr. Cindy Blackstock of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society, and Mary Teegee, Chair of the ICFSD Our Children Our Way Society and ED of Carrier Sekani Family Services.

A special screening of “Jordan River Anderson – The Messenger” was held by the Our Children Our Way Society on May 9, 2025 to honour the life of the little boy who inspired Jordan’s Principle. OCOW Knowledge Keeper and Advisor Judy Wilson opened the screening in a good way with prayer.

Click the image or click here to watch the webinar on the Our Children Our Way YouTube Channel.

Alanis Obomsawin‘s 52nd film tells the story of how the life of Jordan River Anderson initiated a battle for the right of First Nations and Inuit children to receive the same standard of social, health and educational services as the rest of the Canadian population. Jordan’s Principle is a legal requirement in Canada aimed at ensuring First Nations children receive necessary services without delays or denials due to jurisdictional issues. We are grateful to the National Film Board for allowing us to share this beautiful film on on the Friday before Bear Witness Day 2025. Visit the NFB website for mini-lessons to learn more.

Mr. Ernest Anderson, the father of the late Jordan River Anderson is pictured with his family and Dr. Blackstock at the Bear Witness Day parade in Winnipeg.

As a follow up to the 20th Anniversary of Jordan’s Principle, The Caring Society’s Stephanie Wellman was quoted in the May 14, 2025 CBC article: Canada ranked 19th out of 36 countries in child well-being, UNICEF says: Progress on indicators of child well-being has largely stalled in Canada