Winnipeg-based Cree author's book temporarily removed by school district in Ontario

A Winnipeg-based Cree author is looking for answers after a school district in Ontario temporarily removed one of his books from its libraries pending a review.

At the centre of the controversy is The Great Bear—the second book in the Misewa Saga, an Indigenous fantasy series written by David A. Robertson.

"(It's) really about empowering Indigenous children, it's about anti-bullying, it's about foster care—so there's a lot of important teachings in there," said Robertson, who is a member of the Norway House Cree Nation.

Robertson, whose books have won a number of awards, said he was told The Great Bear was temporarily removed from school libraries in the Durham District School Board in Ontario.

"Learning that it was being pulled from libraries and the teachers are being asked to refrain from teaching in the classroom was pretty surprising for me to find out," he said, adding he still hasn't been told by the school board why his book was removed.

"They're being pretty secretive and evasive about why a book like The Great Bear might be controversial in their opinion."

In a statement posted on its website, the Durham District School Board said it recognizes there has been interest in its decision to temporarily remove The Great Bear from its library collection pending a review of the book.

"The Durham District School Board (DDSB) is committed to upholding Indigenous rights, including the self-determination of parents and families. We continue to engage with the local Indigenous community members who raised the initial concern about this book before sharing any more information publicly," the board said in the statement.

Robertson told CTV News he would have liked to see his book remain on library shelves until the board's review process has been complete. He said he hasn't heard of any issues with The Great Bear from other school boards, and is concerned why the Durham District School Board made the decision to remove his book.

"This is definitely a step in the wrong direction," he said. "To think that entire school board would remove a book that I think is a positive step toward reconciliation is a real hindrance to our process to lead toward healing in this country."

CTV News has reached out to the Durham District School Board for more information. The board is set to have a meeting Tuesday evening.