On National Aboriginal Veterans Day, indigenous leaders point out that aboriginal Canadians have not always been recognized for their military service even as they serve shoulder-to-shoulder with non-indigenous Canadians.
Grand Chief Stewart Phillip of the BC Union of Indian Chiefs points out that indigenous Canadians have fought for Canada in every conflict since the First World War.
"Veterans who came back lost their status and lost all of their rights and it was a real struggle for them to regain those rights through the courts,” he said.
Joseph Meconse was born on a trap line in northern Manitoba and had trouble adjusting to city life as a young man.
He ran into trouble with the law and when he got out, he decided to join the army where he spent the next 10 years serving his country in places like Germany and Cyprus.
He returned to civilian life with a chest full of medals.
"They presented this because I earned it,” said Meconse, now in his seventies. “I had to do my share for the people. Not for myself, for the people."
Newly elected Winnipeg Centre MP Robert-Falcon Ouellette has spent more than 20 years in the military and remains an active reservist in the navy.
When he first enlisted, he didn’t find the Canadian Forces as welcoming as he would have liked but he says things have changed.
"Today, it's a very welcoming place,” said Ouellette. “I even have my hair braided long, and I have absolutely no issues with cultural awareness, with people accepting me for who I am and what I can bring to the table."
Both Ouellette and Meconse hope their experiences will encourage other indigenous Canadians to consider a career in the military.
