Cougars, Lheidli T’enneh First Nation announce partnership through Truth & Reconciliation

Oct 1, 2021 | 4:51 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – The Lheidli T’enneh First Nation (LTFN) and the Prince George Cougars announced several initiatives aimed at acknowledging the discovery of the remains of 215 children found at the Kamloops Residential School and those impacted by residential schools.

The initiatives included a presentation by LTFN Elder Clifford Quaw, a Lejac Residential School survivor, to the Cougars’ players, and the installation of a memorial panel inside the CN Centre. Also, Cougars’ players will wear an orange helmet decal throughout the 2021-22 WHL Regular Season to honour those impacted by Residential Schools.

A new LTFN Memorial Flag was unveiled and presented to Prince George Mayor Lyn Hall during the media conference Friday, with the intention of the flag to be displayed inside the CN Centre.

“Today’s announcement is significant as it comes one day after Canada’s first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. Today is about seeing reconciliation in action,” said LTFN Chief Dolleen Logan. “The Cougars contacted us soon after the news broke in late May about the discovery of the remains of the 215 children at the Kamloops Residential School. Meetings were held during the summer to explore initiatives to acknowledge the victims and their families, and all Indigenous people impacted by residential schools. Together we determined that it was important for the players and staff to learn more about residential schools and who better to learn from than Elder Clifford Quaw, a survivor of the Lejac Residential School. We also thought a memorial panel inside CN Center was appropriate so that there is a visual reminder for fans and patrons of other events. We want to thank the Cougars for reaching out to us and today marks the official beginning of new partnership that we hope lasts many years.”

The Cougars presented Chief Logan and Mayor Hall with special orange jerseys that honour the victims of the Kamloops Residential School. Also, the Cougars’ players gave Elder Clifford Quaw a signed number 26 jersey at the end of the presentation. The number 26 is significant, as it was the number assigned to Elder Quaw when he attended the Lejac Residential School.

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“Everyone connected with our hockey club was shaken by the news of the discovery of the remains of the 215 children found at the Kamloops Residential School,” said Cougars’ vice President, Business Andy Beesley. Instead of expressing our condolences through social media, we decided to reach out to our Host First Nation the Lheidli T’enneh and seek guidance on how best to acknowledge the children and their families. The conversations that followed formed the basis of a partnership with the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation that we are celebrating today. Our players appreciated the opportunity to learn more about what it was like for students at the Lejac Residential School from Elder Clifford Quaw. The panel mentioned by Chief Logan will serve as a permanent reminder here at CN Center of this period in Canadian history. We are pleased that we reached out to the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation for help and even more pleased that they agreed to provide us with guidance.”

The Prince George Cougars, along with the other 21 Western Hockey League teams, will display orange ribbon decals on their helmets to honour those impacted by residential schools during the 2021-22 season. (Photo Courtesy: PG Cougars)

by Ethan Ready, Files from PG Cougars

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Cougars, Lheidli T’enneh First Nation announce partnership through Truth & Reconciliation

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