The Commander of Canadian Army marks Indigenous Veterans Day

Statement / November 6, 2024 / National Defence

Lieutenant-General Michael Wright, Commander Canadian Army, issued the following statement to mark Indigenous Veterans Day:

As Defence Team Champion for Indigenous Peoples, it is my privilege to speak for the Department of National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) as we mark Indigenous Veterans Day together.

While the exact numbers of Indigenous Peoples’ participation in military service have not been accurately recorded in our histories, we know they have defended this land in large numbers since its earliest days.

They were our partners in defence, even before Confederation, making alliances with the French and later the British.

That tradition of service continued through both World Wars, to Korea, Afghanistan, and many peacekeeping missions over the decades.

This is particularly impressive when we recall that they did so even in those times when Indigenous Peoples were not viewed as equals in our society. Despite this, they distinguished themselves as snipers and scouts in the First World War. During the Second World War, Cree-speaking “code talkers” translated sensitive radio communications into Cree to disrupt the enemy’s ability to understand them; an invaluable contribution. This is why we honour Indigenous veterans with a commemorative day specifically for them.

We sadly lost a connection to that history only last year, with the passing of Virginia Pechawis, Saskatchewan's oldest female First Nations veteran.

This extraordinary woman left her home on the Mistawasis First Nation for the very first time in 1944, aged 18, to make the 80-kilometre journey to Prince Albert where she enlisted. She would serve the war effort here at home in Quebec City for 18 months.

This annual show of our appreciation is the very least we can do to honour their memory.

We cannot change the past but we can, and must, continue to value Indigenous cultures in our work every day of the year.

I was glad to see the CAF Eagle Staff, which is carried to events across the country as a symbol of Indigenous traditions, put in a place of honour at National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa this past summer.

We will continue to seek the advice and guidance of the Indigenous soldiers and civilians who give their time to serve our Local, Regional and National level Defence Indigenous Advisory Groups or as individual advisors to senior CAF leadership.

We all have a role to play in reconciliation: to grow and better understand our collective history. As an organization, we will continue to build strong, positive relationships through our Indigenous Summer Programs, which offer participants the chance to challenge themselves with military training and benefit from cultural teachings.

As Defence Team Champion for Indigenous Peoples, I pledge to meet my obligation to serve as an advocate for my Indigenous colleagues today as a show of gratitude to those who came before them.

Lieutenant-General Michael Wright, Commander Canadian Army and Defence Team Champion for Indigenous Peoples