Northern Manitoba teachers use teddy bears to teach about truth and reconciliation
CBC
A Thompson, Man., elementary school wrapped a year of learning with its second annual picnic — a fun day at a local lake complete with teddy bears that symbolize a lot more than a good snuggle.
Throughout the year, teachers at Juniper Elementary School use books produced by the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society to provide reconciliation-based education and promote the safety and well-being of Indigenous children.
The books feature Spirit Bear, a small white teddy bear that is an advocate for children's rights.
Monday's picnic — with the school's bears that signify love and respect for others, along with other stuffed animals in tow — celebrated a year of learning about truth and reconciliation, said kindergarten and Grade 1 teacher Alysa Ferguson.
"I hope that they they have a lot of fun. I hope they're tired and cranky by the time they go home, but just to see that no matter what, we should all have access to clean water, medical, fun, learning, safety, safe schools, dreams, everything a kid should have," she said at the picnic at Liz Lake, just south of Thompson.
"They should just be allowed to be little, right?"
The picnic marked a culmination of the year of studies, Ferguson said.
Children made dreamcatchers out of pipe cleaners, painted tiles to make a wooden version of a star blanket and ate fried pickerel and bannock.
Cindy Blackstock, the executive director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society, took part in the teddy bear picnic and brought the original Spirit Bear along on her journey from Ottawa.
"I'm here as kind of Spirit Bear's carry person," she said.
Blackstock has carried Spirit Bear along to all the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal hearings on Jordan's Principle, which was launched after Blackstock and the society filed a complaint in 2007.
The caring society argued the support the federal government provides for child welfare on First Nations is much lower than the support provincial governments give to children off reserves — even though on-reserve needs are greater. They said less funding for family support means more children end up in the child welfare system.
Spirit Bear was there throughout the process.
"He's been in every single hearing and he comes out to spend time with kids," Blackstock said.
