As part of THE NFB IN LIBRARIES programming, the Albert Campbell branch of the Toronto Public Library will present Jordan River Anderson, The Messenger.

Jordan River Anderson, The Messenger | Alanis Obomsawin | 2019 | 66 min

In her latest film, celebrated Abenaki director Alanis Obomsawin tells the story of Jordan River Anderson, and how as a result of his short life, thousands of First Nations and Inuit children today receive the same standard of social, health and education services as the rest of the Canadian population.

Because of Jordan’s Indian status, a dispute arose between the governments of Canada and Manitoba over who was responsible for his care, and Jordan did not receive the appropriate home-based assistance that would have allowed him to end his life in his own community.

Jordan’s Principle was passed into law by the House of Commons, and the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal issued a ruling guaranteeing the same standard of service, yet many First Nations and Inuit children were still denied access. It took sustained commitment and the issuance of several mandatory orders for justice to be done.

The very timely Jordan River Anderson, The Messenger completes, on an optimistic note, the film cycle devoted to the rights of Indigenous children and peoples that began with The People of the Kattawapiskak River.

Jordan River Anderson – The Messenger (Trailer 1m20s: CLEAN) on Vimeo

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FREE SCREENING
To have more information on this screening, consult the library’s website.
Registration is encouraged but drop-ins are welcome.