I Spoke My Truth. Now I Need Help Fighting Back – Legal Fund

I Shared My Truth. They Just Wanted a Checkbox.

My name is Bear Standing Tall — I am a Nehiyaw (Cree) man from Onion Lake Cree Nation, Treaty 6 Territory, living in Oshawa, Ontario. I am a Certified Indigenous Awareness Trainer, entrepreneur, ceremonial person, and intergenerational Residential School survivor.

When Siemens Energy Canada invited me to deliver an Indigenous Awareness session, I brought our medicines, our stories, and sacred truths. I shared my own experience as a survivor of sexual abuse connected to a residential school system — believing I was walking into a space of reconciliation and respect.

But instead of partnership, I was treated like a checkbox.

Instead of support, they hired lawyers.

Instead of meaningful engagement, I was told: “We don’t do that.”

⚖️ Why I'm Asking for Your Help

I have filed a Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) application and submitted a formal complaint to the Canadian Council for Indigenous Business (CCIB). But to seek true justice and set legal precedent, I need your support to hire a law firm and sue Siemens Energy Canada in court for damages.

Where Your Donations Will Go

Your donation will fund a legal case to hold Siemens accountable for:

Refusing to offer a contract despite their public reconciliation commitments

Emotional and psychological trauma (I am on antidepressants and in trauma counselling)

Economic discrimination and loss of business opportunities

Cultural disrespect and dismissiveness toward sacred Indigenous knowledge

Mistreatment during homelessness and ongoing poverty

Tokenism and exploitation for their advancement in the CCIB PAIR program

Disrespect and harm to my identity as a Residential School survivor

We are a working-poor Indigenous family. I am currently on Ontario Works (OW), and we are at risk of homelessness. But I am still standing, and I am still fighting.

When You Donate — You’ll Receive a Free Copy of My Book

As a gesture of gratitude, every supporter will receive a digital copy of my new book:

The Business of Belonging: Why Every Canadian Corporation Needs This Book

This guide offers 365 concrete acts of reconciliation tailored to Canadian businesses—covering Indigenous procurement, sustainability, governance, and inclusion.

Written by Bear Standing Tall (Jason Carter) — Indigenous entrepreneur, trainer, and survivor

Grounded in lived experience from Turtle Island

Aligned with the CCIB’s PAIR program

A practical, powerful resource for HR leaders, DEI officers, procurement teams, and C-suites

Let this book guide your next steps in reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.

This Case Is Bigger Than One Person

It’s about:

Indigenous entrepreneurs being excluded and exploited

Call to Action 92 being ignored by corporations with billions in profits

Stopping performative reconciliation and making room for real accountability

By standing with me, you’re standing for truth, economic justice, and the protection of all Indigenous voices in corporate spaces.

I am Bear Standing Tall.

I was not a checkbox.

Help us take this fight to court — and walk the path of truth and reconciliation together.

bearstandingtall.my.canva.site/training