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CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — When Amanda and Derek James received funding through Jordan’s Principle, their only goal was to meet the government’s housing standard for foster parents.

They didn’t want renovations, they just wanted to take in Amanda’s sister.

After half a year of delays, the James family, including two other children, is left barely able to live in their Charlottetown home.

In July 2022, midway into home renovations, the contractor they hired told them his business was bankrupt. He could finish the work, but it would take time — even more than the six months he’d already spent on the job.

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Though the James family hired the contractor, the federal government paid him through Jordan’s Principle, a government organization set up to help Indigenous people, especially children.

After the contractor stopped work, there was no accounting of the money.

This meant the $112,000 in funding the James family received had been taken, but all they had to show for it were new problems, like water damage causing mould and beetles in the basement.

Amanda and Derek spoke with SaltWire Network on Aug. 16, shortly after receiving documents that helped to explain some of what happened with the money, and, they say, proved the contractor didn't even obtain a building permit.

“Now that we have all these emails, we can see how much money he had and when he had it. And it’s all just proof that he’s been lying to us from the get-go before he even came into our house,” Amanda said. “This guy came in and he had all these good intentions, I suppose, to make bedrooms and a bathroom downstairs. And he never finished the work.”

“Now that we have all these emails, we can see how much money he had and when he had it. And it’s all just proof that he’s been lying to us from the get-go before he even came into our house.” – Amanda James

With the house torn apart, there isn’t much room for five people, including a baby, Amanda said, noting they’ve had items in a full storage unit since February.

“The only person that has her own room is my sister because legally she’s required to have it.”

Since the Aug. 16 interview, there has been some progress.

SaltWire Network spoke with the couple again on Aug. 24, when Amanda had just gotten off the phone with a representative from Jordan’s Principle.

They told her that, if the family can find a new, reliable contractor, the organization will send someone to come check out the house, possibly leading to new funding.

Amanda and Derek have also received some help from an unlikely place. Two of the workers the contractor had employed have returned to volunteer their time to help finish some of the job. They, too, claimed they were ripped off by the contractor, who stopped paying them during the job, Amanda said.

At this point, the mould in the basement bathroom has been removed, though the Jameses fear it will come back, and the upstairs bathroom still has mould.

While a heater has been installed, they aren’t sure it actually works yet. Other issues remain, like the temporary plywood staircase built for workers, and the improper sealing in the basement and around windows, Derek said.

In order to help offset some of the costs they may have to pay for the work themselves, the Jameses’ are holding a GoFundMe fundraiser with a goal of $5,000.

SaltWire Network contacted Jordan’s Principle — which operates under the Department of Indigenous Services Canada — on Aug. 24 to ask about what safeguards and enforcement mechanisms they have for such situations.

Indigenous Services Canada takes concerns about Jordan’s Principle requests very seriously, said Randy Legault-Rankin, spokesperson for the department, in an Aug. 26 emailed statement.

“Due to privacy concerns, Indigenous Services Canada cannot provide information about specific requests.”

When a request is made under Jordan’s Principle, the parents or guardian choose the contractor, Legault-Rankin said.

“ISC then ensures that all the necessary information and documentation is received from the provider.”

As in the case of Amanda and Derek, the family is not accountable if the contractor “fails to deliver on their commitment,” Legault-Rankin said.

“ISC staff will work closely with them to quickly resubmit a new request under Jordan’s Principle with a new service provider/contractor to ensure the health and safety of the child.”

The process has been an ordeal for the family, and Derek and Amanda are concerned about the wider implications of what happened.

When the problems started, they found they had basically no recourse, with people in government taking little responsibility.

Jordan’s Principle told them that, because the organization is only a funding body, they do not have enforcement powers or any ability to bring legal action against the contractor, Amanda said.

She added they also had very poor communication, dealing only with the contractor and failing to make him show his work or produce receipts throughout the build.

“Why is there no policies in place? There was nobody to come check in on the work, or to make sure the money was put where it was supposed to be.”

For Derek, this raises the question of how many other people this contractor is scamming, and how many other scammers are taking advantage of Indigenous people at taxpayer expense.

The lack of accountability reflects the way the federal government throws money toward Indigenous communities without ensuring it benefits everyone, Derek said. That way, politicians can stand in front of cameras during election season and claim they’re spending millions to help Indigenous kids, he said.

“You didn’t help the families. Yeah, you spent the money on them, but you didn’t help them. And that’s the thing. They preach and they preach help for these kids, but they don’t actually do it,” Derek said. “You didn’t help anything. You destroyed our home, and then you wiped your hands of it, and wouldn’t even give us the information to fix it.”

After this long process, Derek and Amanda have some advice for people who end up looking to foster a child and receive government funding for home repairs.

“Go to the courts and file to see if (the contractor has) any open lawsuits against them for misappropriating funds. Make sure that they have contractor’s insurance. And make sure that the job is done before they get paid.”

Logan MacLean is a reporter with the SaltWire Network in Prince Edward Island. He can be reached by email at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @loganmaclean94.

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