Ahead of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Sept. 30, the B.C. Lions unveiled a stylized version of their logo designed by an Indigenous artist.
The logo, along with the phrase “Every Child Matters,” will appear on T-shirts handed out to the first 10,000 fans at the Lions’ game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Vancouver on Sept. 24.
The logo was designed by Corrine Hunt, who co-designed the medals at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
“The first iteration I did was a little soft because I wanted to represent the children and I wanted them to cuddle them,” she said. “And then I thought maybe it needs to be a little more forceful. Maybe the lion needs to roar. So that’s what I did. And the idea that 10,000 people will be wearing this in the stadium, 10,000 people will be roaring. They will be saying, give us peace, give us compassion, give us love.”
The CFL club also announced it will give away 350 tickets to their Sept. 24 game to residential school survivors.
B.C. Premier John Horgan told a news conference on Thursday that the collaboration between the Lions, the Ending Violence Association of BC and Indigenous leaders helps mark the day of truth and reconciliation so Canadians will remember that every child matters.
Lions and Roughriders players will wear orange tape during the game to raise awareness ahead of the day established to honour survivors of Canada’s residential school system.
Lions vice-president Chayka said the team is also making a $20,000 donation to the Orange Shirt Society, which was launched by survivor Phyllis Webstad in Williams Lake, B.C., in 2013.
–with files from The Canadian Press
The Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line (1-866-925-4419) is available 24 hours a day for anyone experiencing pain or distress as a result of their residential school experience.