Canada honours Indigenous veterans’ sacrifices in nationwide ceremonies
Canadians united across the country to commemorate Indigenous Veterans Day. The event honoured the service of Indigenous people in major 20th-century conflicts, with an estimated 12,000 having served. Notable attendees included Governor General Mary Simon, Ontario Lieutenant Governor Edith Dumont, and Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, who gathered at the Spirit Garden in Nathan Phillips Square.
The Last Post Fund's Indigenous Veterans Initiative has identified and marked over 265 previously unrecognized Indigenous veterans' graves since 2019. In Vancouver, Elder Robert Nahaney, the only living veteran from the Squamish Nation, took part in the observance. Meanwhile, in Toronto, Arnold Peters, the last living veteran of the Squamish Nation who served in Europe for NATO and later as a UN peacekeeper in Cyprus, was honoured.
Federal ministers issued a joint statement in Ottawa, recognizing Indigenous veterans' sacrifices. Rajan Sawhney, Alberta's minister of Indigenous relations, stressed the importance of listening, learning, and acting in remembrance of Indigenous veterans.
Indigenous Veterans Day serves as a reminder of the significant contributions made by Indigenous people to Canada's military history. Communities came together to remember and reaffirm their commitment to truth, recognition, and reconciliation, ensuring that the sacrifices of these veterans are not forgotten.
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