Kenora Catholic Introduces Spirit Bears

Posted on 10/19/2022
This is the image for the news article titled Shelly Tom and Alecia CoxKenora Catholic students will have a new friend at school to bring comfort and support through a fleet of blue Ambearristers set to join school communities across the Board.

The Spirit Bear represents the 165,000 First Nation Children impacted by the First Nations Child Welfare Case at the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. The bears act as “Ambearrister” (Ambassador + Barrister).

The KCDSB initiative started after the Board was gifted a Spirit Bear from Leeann Shimoda, Jordan’s Principle Co-Ordinator for Independent First Nations.

At the Board Meeting on October 18, Alecia Cox talked about the new initiative.

“After discussing with Shelly Tom how we can fully utilize our gifted bear, we decided it would be amazing if we could have a bear for each school. Where the school can name and include their bear in school activities and dress it in traditional regalia. So, we purchased a bear for all our schools.”

Each school at the Kenora Catholic District School Board will receive a Spirit Bear later this week.

“We were fortunate to have Elder Terry Skead bless our Spirit Bears at the Fall Feast,” said Alecia Cox. “These bears, by just being at the feast, encouraged conversation and curiosity with the children. Many asked what they were for and when their school was going to get their bear, and they wanted a hug from the bears. We want the bears to be a part of each school family as much as possible, and support conversations not only on September 30, for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day, but throughout the year.”

Kenora Catholic’s Spirit Bears are blue in support of the original Jordan’s Principle Bear which was white. They are slightly weighted, at three pounds making them extra snuggly, and comforting to anyone holding them.Spirit Bears being blessed

Shelly Tom talked about why Kenora Catholic’s Bears are blue.

“We chose the colour blue for our Spirit Bears so they could be distinctly different from our Boozhoo Bear that is gifted to new Kindergarten children when they register for school.”

During the presentation, Alecia provided the background of the Spirit Bear.

In 2007 a Spirit Bear was gifted to Dr. Cindy Blackstock, the Executive Director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada.

At that time, Dr. Blackstock was attending the First Nations Child Welfare hearings at the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. The Spirit Bear attended the Tribunal Hearing to “bear-witnessed” to the hearings, provide support to children and be a visual reminder that real children and families are involved in the hearings.

Since then, the bear has been used to help educate children on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Call to Action and is a visual symbol of the process.

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