Elder Little Brown Bear (Ernest Matton)
Elder Little Brown Bear is a respected Métis Elder and spiritual ambassador who blends traditional teachings with mainstream information to provide holistic healing approaches for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal community members and professional disciplines.
He is the Director of Aboriginal Education, Programs, Culture, and Founder of the Accredited Aboriginal leading practice “The Aboriginal Healing Program” for the Michael Garron Hospital Toronto East Health Network. Elder Little Brown Bear’s guiding philosophy is simple: “People don’t care how much you know. They want to know how much you care”.
He is both a sought-after speaker and an effective group facilitator in the areas of trauma/addictions/mental health, grief, suicide, conflict resolution, mediation, anger release, and building healthy relationships. In addition, he has assisted many organizations in creating Aboriginal-appropriate programs and policies.
He is a helper and guide who, with his years of experience in the field, inspires living in today’s hectic world, bridging culture and professional disciplines to assist people in finding what works. Drawing from his academic background, extensive work, and personal life experiences, he focuses on bringing balance and inspiration to everyday life. He wears the Yellow Sash with pride in honoring those missing and murdered Indigenous women/girls and speaks to the commitment to breaking the cycle of violence and abuse.
He has received numerous prestigious awards, including the Order of Ontario, Sovereign’s medal of Canada, the Premier’s Awards for College Graduates, the Brock University Alumni Achievement Award for Service, the Human Spirit Award by the Canadian College of Health Leaders, the Mino Bimaadiziwin Award (Indigenous Award), the David Crombie Urban Leadership Award, the Outstanding Canadians Award, the Barrie MPP Ann Hoggarth Ontario 150 Award, the prestigious Barb Robinson Indigenous Award of Excellence from the CACCF and is an Alumni Hall of Fame Canadore College inductee.
He is a graduate of Canadore College and Brock University. He is a member in good standing with the (CACCF) Canadian Addiction Counsellors Certification Federation and the Ontario Association of Mental Health Practitioners (OAMHP).
