Today we honour Indigenous Veterans

Lest we forget.

First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people have a long and proud tradition of military service to our country, and on November 8, we take time to reflect upon and honour their actions, their bravery and their sacrifices.

"Today, on Indigenous Veterans Day, Ontarians are encouraged to take the opportunity to honour and remember the tens of thousands of Indigenous veterans who have helped keep our country safe in times of war and military conflict,” emphasized Greg Rickford, Minister of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation.

Indigenous people have a long history of “serving in the Canadian Armed Forces, joining the front lines of every conflict in which Canada has been involved,” the Minister continued. “Indigenous soldiers volunteered in large numbers, leaving their communities and overcoming cultural and linguistic differences to show their commitment to protecting our country.”

See related: Take pause today to honour Indigenous Veterans Day

Those many First Nation volunteers faced discrimination, and often had to learn a new language and adapt to cultural differences when they put on the uniform. The Government of Canada noted “the challenges they faced often extended to their post-service life. Many Indigenous war Veterans would not receive equal treatment compared to other Canadian Veterans.”

As such, the National Aboriginal Veterans Day was first observed in Winnipeg, on November 8, 1993.  The following year, the Government of Manitoba officially recognized the day. Since that first ceremony, the remembrance has been observed nationwide.

During the first World War, more than 4,000 Indigenous people served. “It was a remarkable response” to the call to serve, the Canadian Government noted on its website. In some communities “one in three able-bodied men would volunteer.”

“Indigenous recruits joined up for a variety of reasons,” the government’s article continued, “from seeking employment or adventure to wanting to uphold a tradition that had seen their ancestors fight alongside the British in earlier military efforts like the War of 1812 and the South African War.”

The recruitment numbers were similar for WWII. During the war many Indigenous soldiers served as snipers and scouts and during these terrible years, the “code talker” was born. Code talkers would translate secret radio messages into Cree so the enemies couldn’t decipher it. Another Cree speaker was on the other side and could translate the instructions to the English speaking soldiers.

“Indigenous Veterans Day recognizes the brave, resilient Indigenous men and women who have served, and their many sacrifices to defend our freedoms,” Minister Rickford said.

Lest we forget.

David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.