A Message from the Defence Team Champion for Indigenous Peoples on National Aboriginal Day

June 21, 2017 – Ottawa – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

Lieutenant-General Paul Wynnyk, Commander Canadian Army, issued the following statement:

“Today marks National Aboriginal Day, on which all Canadians recognize and celebrate the unique traditions, history, cultures and contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.

“As the Defence Team Champion, I would like to express my deepest appreciation to the Indigenous Peoples of Canada as we commemorate their contributions to this country and to the Canadian Armed Forces.

“I am proud to say the Commander Canadian Army has held the role of Champion for Indigenous Peoples within DND and CAF for more than a decade, and it is a special role that I am now privileged and honoured to fulfill.

“Throughout our collective history, the Indigenous Peoples of Canada have answered the call of duty and they remain exceptional members of the military community today.  

“Within the Canadian military, we are constantly evolving and adapting to a changing world. Through the recently appointed Canadian Armed Forces Indigenous Advisor to the Chaplain General, we can now better meet the needs of our Indigenous members who choose to practice various traditional expressions of Indigenous culture and spirituality.

“Additionally, we are moving to increase Indigenous recruiting within the Canadian Armed Forces, and will be working to remove any potential barriers relating to selection, training, and employment of Indigenous applicants. We are also looking at modernizing our current programs for Indigenous youth, which include Bold Eagle, Black Bear and Raven, and introducing two new Canadian Army Indigenous Summer Programs in Ontario and Quebec that will commence in 2018.

 “The Canadian Armed Forces belongs to all Canadians. It is my belief that the Defence Team greatly benefits from the unique cultural, spiritual and traditional identities of the First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, who make up the Indigenous Peoples of Canada.

“We can take pride in our nation’s cultural diversity, and our rich history and heritage. Today, I invite you to join me in commemorating the significant heritage and contributions of our Indigenous Peoples.”

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Associated Links

• Indigenous Peoples in the Canadian Armed Forces Backgrounder
• Raven Program
• Bold Eagle Program
• Black Bear Program 
• National Aboriginal Day website - INAC
• #NADCanada

Contacts 

Media Relations
Department of National Defence
Phone: 613-996-2353
Toll-Free: 1-866-377-0811
Email: mlo-blm@forces.gc.ca