OTTAWA – Nunavut MP Lori Idlout is repeating her calls for Ottawa to extend a funding program for Inuit children, saying the situation is dire.
The Inuit Child First Initiative was introduced in 2019 to ensure Inuit kids have access to health and social services without having to leave their communities.
But the program is slated to sunset at the end of March.
Idlout says more than 13,000 kids in Nunavut are enrolled in the program, which gives families $500 per child to help buy food, plus another $250 for kids younger than four.
Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu was unavailable for an interview Wednesday.
In a statement issued to The Canadian Press, her office says the government is looking for a long-term plan for the program.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 5, 2025.
