May 10 is Bear Witness Day. It is a children-first approach to raising awareness of inequities in access to services for First Nations children.
After he passed way, Jordan River Anderson’s family gave his name to Jordan’s Principle: that First Nations children must receive the services and support they need when they need them. This was sadly not the case for Jordan, who died for lack of at-home healthcare while governments disputed who would pay for the care he needed.
But the principle applies to education and other services as well as healthcare.
In 2025, Jordan’s Principle is 20 years old.
With May 10 as his birthday, Spirit Bear is the ‘reconciliation bearrister’ put forward by the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society (aka the Caring Society) to represent the children affected by the First Nations child welfare case, along with the thousands of other children who have shown support.
He features in the book Spirit Bear and Children Make History and others, available through the Caring Society. Cindy Blackstock co-founded the society, which provides ways to bring children into addressing systemic racism and colonialism. Her activism and advocacy grows out of love:
“We’ve really been mentored by children to centre what we do on the basis of love,” Blackstock told Maclean’s magazine in 2021. “Some people might find love and litigation are in two different camps, but I don’t. I think that sometimes you have to use litigation to bring countries closer to living the values that they espouse. And that is actually a loving action for all humanity.”
Take some time today to join the movement:
- learn about Jordan’s Principle – the Caring Society has resources online Bear Witness Day | First Nations Child & Family Caring Society
- spread the word — talk with family and friends,
- host a Teddy Bear Tea Party (instructions on Spirit Bear page above), or
- post a photo with your own teddy bear with the hashtags #JordansPrinciple and #BearWitnessDay.
