Indigenous Veterans Honored After Decades of Exclusion
Canada marked National Indigenous Veterans Day by acknowledging the service of over 12,000 First Nations, Metis, and Inuit people who fought in major conflicts.
By Renata Mehta ·
Indigenous veterans in Canada are receiving formal recognition on National Indigenous Veterans Day, a date observed annually since 1994. The ceremonies, held Nov. 8 across the country, address a history of service that was long overlooked by the state. Dozens of people gathered at a cenotaph on the Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point First Nation in Ontario to pay tribute to local families and soldiers.
Veterans Affairs Canada states that more than 12,000 Indigenous people served in World Wars I and II and the Korean Conflict. Of those, 500 died on the battlefield. Despite these numbers, many veterans returned home to find they had been excluded from the benefits and land grants given to non-Indigenous soldiers. For decades, their sacrifice was ignored in national remembrance rituals.
The exclusion extended to legal status. First Nations soldiers often had to surrender their Indian status to enlist, a process known as enfranchisement. In other cases, officials removed them from membership records upon their return. This administrative barrier complicated their reintegration and denied them the rights associated with their heritage.
Corporal Darcie Cameron of the 2 Military Police Regiment in Ontario noted the contrast between the hardships of the past and the current sentiment of gratitude. She is a member of the First Nation and cited the importance of remembering how Indigenous peoples served the country even while facing residential schools. “I just think it is so important to honor them for the fact that everything that they went through and we still choose, they still choose, to honor Canada today,” Cameron said.
The day also marks the lives of specific individuals who contributed uniquely to the war effort. Cree soldiers served as code talkers, communicating in languages enemies could not decipher. Tommy Prince, a member of the Brokenhead First Nation, became one of Canada’s most decorated soldiers. He received the Military Medal from Canada and the Silver Star from the United States for his work behind enemy lines in France.
Local ceremonies also honored Dudley George, a land defender killed by Ontario police on Sept. 6, 1995, during a raid on a peaceful occupation at Stony Point. The land had been taken by the government during World War II for training but was not returned until 2009. Chief Kim Bressette told the gathering that the veterans’ contributions are a vital part of shared history.
Lieutenant-General Michael C. Wright, Commander of the Canadian Army, stated that the military owes a profound debt to Indigenous peoples who have fought for the land since the pre-Confederation era. Wright emphasized that honoring this legacy requires action to ensure future Indigenous members of the defense team are seen, heard, and respected.
