Spirit Bear finds home at King's Library after student trip to Ottawa

November 19, 2025 Facebook Twitter LinkedIn

Visitors to the King’s Cardinal Carter Library will be able to meet Bruce the Spirit Bear. They will also be able to learn from him, as he comes with four books that people can read and use in their own journey toward Truth and Reconciliation.

Bruce’s journey to King’s began last May during a visit to Ottawa by students from Childhood and Youth Studies (CYS) 3393: Special Topics in Childhood and Youth Studies.

CYS 3393 was developed through student-led meetings during the 2025 Winter Term to study children’s rights in Canada and around the world. The students decided to focus on non-governmental organizations, education, child protection, and Indigenous issues, as well as what is being done by various institutions to uphold and advance the rights of children in these areas.

The trip to Ottawa provided students with the opportunity to meet with representatives from the Landon Pearson Centre for the Study of Childhood and Children’s Rights at Carleton University, Ottawa’s Children’s Aid Society, and Children First Canada. Students toured the Canadian Senate and met with Senator Marilou McPhedran of Manitoba. They attended a question period on Parliament Hill — thanks to London Centre MP Peter Fragiskatos, BA ’04 — and a panel discussion on children’s rights and the law.

“This was an experience I never thought I’d get in university. It showed us what possibilities there are for our futures and demonstrated how to get there,” says Alexandrine Ross, who completed an Honours Specialization in Childhood and Youth Studies. She said that being able to tour the Senate, something most people are unable to do, was a highlight of the trip.

It was a meeting with Jessica Raby, Education and Public Engagement Coordinator for the First Nations Caring Society, that brought Bruce the Bear into their lives and ultimately to King’s. In addition to learning more about the important work of the First Nations Caring Society, the students received Bruce as a gift.

As a Spirit Bear, Bruce holds significant meaning in relation to the organization’s mission. Bruce symbolizes the fight for justice for the 165,000 children impacted by Canada’s discriminatory child welfare system. Spirit Bears have been present at Canadian Human Rights Tribunal hearings, as a reminder of the children at the heart of the case, advocating for equity in services and supporting the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action.

When the students returned from their trip, they began to look for a spot for him on campus. They worked with the staff at the Cardinal Carter Library, who generously agreed to give him a home on the shelves near the self-checkout in the library. Bruce, complete with a homemade King’s sweatshirt, will serve King’s as he can be borrowed for events and discussions about the injustices faced by Indigenous children.

“We are incredibly grateful to have been gifted Bruce, and to have learned more about the significance of the Spirit Bear and First Nations Caring Society. We hope that others can learn more about the Spirit Bear’s significance and about the amazing work that the Society does to ensure the safety and well-being of First Nations children, youth, and families in Canada,” says Tracy McMullen, a fourth-year student doing an Honours Double Major in Childhood & Youth Studies and Disability Studies.

The four books that Bruce can share include:

 

Bruce, his presence at King’s, and his books will help King’s show appreciation to the First Nations Caring Society and promote awareness of the injustices Indigenous children face, while supporting reconciliation and action to improve their circumstances.