HOULTON, Maine — For two terms in the Maine House of Representatives, Henry John Bear has tried to bring a better understanding of issues facing Native American people in the state to his fellow legislators.
Now, his efforts have been recognized by the Maine American Legion. A resident of Houlton, Bear was selected by the American Legion as one of the group’s “Legislators of the Year” at its annual state convention Saturday, June 18, 2016 in Bangor. The presentation was made by Ronald Rainfrette, state commander of the American Legion.
Rep. Bear was presented an engraved, glass plaque and certificate in recognition and sincere appreciation for his support of the four pillars of the American Legion; Americanism, Children and Youth, National Security, and Veteran Affairs and Rehabilitation.
“[It is] humbling and a great honor to say the least,” Bear said of the accolade. “Many thanks to all who helped us earn this recognition, especially our veterans.”
Bear, a member of the Houlton and Tobique Bands of Maliseets, became the first elected tribal member to the Maine House of Representatives in January, 2013. At that time, he was one of three tribal reps elected to the House as a non-voting member, joining representatives from Penobscot Nation and Passamaquoddy tribes.
For the past four years in Augusta, Bear has worked as a member of the Veterans and Legal Affairs committees to identify needs for veterans, both tribal and non-tribal, throughout the state during the 126th and 127th Legislatures.
Although he could not cast votes, Bear was able to introduce bills and legislation for consideration on the House floor. He was responsible for seeing Legislation approved which renamed the “B” Stream in Houlton as the Captain Ambrose Bear Stream. Ambrose Bear was a Maliseet chief in 1777, and historical records show he served under Col. Jonathan Eddy, an officer in George Washington’s Continental Army.
He has also been a staunch supporter of bringing a gaming facility/casino for the Houlton Band of Maliseets on an undeveloped parcel of land on the North Road in Houlton.
Bear joined the United States Coast Guard at the age of 17 during the Vietnam War and served honorably for 15 years as a telecommunications system manager and cryptographer.
“I spent quite a bit of time in military service,” Bear said.
His service included more than 1,000 days of sea duty aboard three large ships, including a polar icebreaker. As a military recruiter and enlisting officer for three years, Bear represented the U.S. Government in determining the suitability, via a complex application, testing and medical examination process, of hundreds of applicants for Coast Guard service with authority to administer oaths of allegiance and issue assignment t orders to new enlistees.
He also served as a Maine Rural Partners board member, which is Maine’s Rural Development Council. Bear is also trained by the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection as a “Tribal Climate Change Adaptation Planner.”
He is a past general manager of both a tribally-operated, Maliseet Forest Service and a Maliseet owned, commercial fishing company, Negootgook Fisheries, which applies traditional conservation and harvesting methods consistent with Tribal values and strict, international principles of sustainable economic development.
Bear is a 1987 graduate of the University of Maine at Presque Isle and obtained his law degree from nearby University of New Brunswick, Canada where he passed his bar exam in 1995. He is also the director of the Aroostook Treaty Education Center (ATEC) which he established on Thanksgiving Day 2013 in Houlton to, in part, ensure implementation of LD 291, “An Act to Teach Maine Indian History in Public Schools”, which was enacted in 2001.
Bear is now actively seeking a full seat on in the Legislature as the Democratic candidate for House District 144, running against incumbent Republican Roger Sherman.
