Lakehead University welcomes First Nation dignitaries during Indigenous Veterans Day ceremony
By Rick Garrick
THUNDER BAY — Fort William First Nation Chief Peter Collins highlighted the losses that Indigenous Veterans faced after enlisting in Canada’s military at the Indigenous Veterans Day ceremony held Nov. 8 at the Lakehead University Agora.
“Our folks had to enfranchise, give up their rights, give up their dignity, give up their identity to go fight for this country with little respect they got when they returned back from these conflicts,” Chief Collins says. “They never got treated the same way when they returned back as veterans who fought for a country to keep it safe, the safe country we live in today.”
Chief Collins says there is still fallout for the families of the veterans who gave up their rights to fight for the country.
“[They’re] still fighting for their identity from their people who gave up their rights to become part of that army, to become part of keeping this country safe,” Chief Collins says. “This country did little justice to our veterans, and we have to remind them of that, and we’ll continue to remind them that our veterans mattered — they made a contribution to this country to keep it safe.”
Chief Collins says Fort William Veteran Frank Banning started their community’s Remembrance Day service on Anemki Wajiw (Mt. McKay) in 1995, a year after the National Indigenous Veterans Day began in Winnipeg when Indigenous Veterans were not recognized in Remembrance Day services.
“He reminded us of the contributions that our veterans made and how they impacted the lives of all of our communities right across country, not just First Nation communities,” Chief Collins says. “I got to know a little of his stories, not a lot, but Normandy was one of the conflicts he talked about. His very best friend died a couple of days before returning home — that is a stark reminder of the contributions that we all make and the life we live and enjoy today in this safe country called Canada.”
More than 12,000 Indigenous men and women enlisted in all three wars as soldiers, nurses and other roles, including 7,000 First Nation citizens. Many served with distinction and were presented with medals for bravery in action, and about 300 died during the conflicts.
“You can hear the emotions in Gerry (Martin, Elder-in-residence at Lakehead University and veteran from Mattagami who opened the Indigenous Veterans Day ceremony) and how it impacted his heart, his mindset, the mindsets of our communities, the mindset of folks who lost loved ones and never saw them return home and are buried in a foreign country,” Chief Collins says. “I thank the university for recognizing this day, recognizing the commitment that our folks made to keep this country living safe and healthy today.”
Martin began the Indigenous Veterans Day ceremony with smudging before addressing the people in attendance.
“To my brothers and sisters in arms we say: ‘Room attention’ — this is for us, our brothers and sisters that didn’t come back and those that did come back that are messed up,” Martin says. “Whether you serve in peacetime or you serve in the war, it takes your innocence away. It’s a heavy price to pay for the freedom that most of you take for granted. It’s very real, very horrible what war does to people.”
Martin says he was “glad” to see the Indigenous Veterans exhibit on display in the Agora with photos and artifacts from the World Wars.
“It recognizes the contribution [of] Indigenous soldiers, both men and women, and support units that served with us,” Martin says. “We made a positive contribution to freedom in this country in serving this country.”
Fort William plans to hold its Remembrance Day service on Anemki Wajiw at the Mt. McKay Cenotaph beginning at 10:15 a.m. on Nov. 11. The luncheon will not be hosted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“They’ll do the recognition of all the veterans — we have a war monument there of our veterans,” Collins says. “We’ll have different organizations from across the lands and across the territories that will join us here on Mt. McKay again. Hopefully, we’ll get a good gathering — it’s the first time in a couple of years that we’ve been able to hold an in-person event again so it’s a great opportunity to pay tribute to all of our vets.”