Story by Jackie Carmichael • Edmonton Journal
Holding an eagle staff, Chuck Isaacs, president of the Aboriginal Veterans Society of Alberta, prepares to lead a group of indigenous veterans into the City of Edmonton's National Indigenous Veterans Day event, at city hall on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023. The City of Edmonton in partnership with the Aboriginal Veterans Society of Alberta hosted the event to recognize the sacrifices and contributions that First Nations, Inuit and Metis veterans have made in service of Canada.
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Rousing traditional drums and singing from the Enoch Cree First Nation set the tone for Edmonton’s first-ever Indigenous Veterans Day ceremony Wednesday at city hall.
Gladys McDonald opened the event in prayer.
An elder at the Enoch Cree First Nation, she recalled laying a wreath for Indigenous soldiers at the cenotaph in Devon when two Indigenous veterans told her of their service — one had his leg blown off in combat — and that they felt forgotten in their own community.
“They were not treated right when they came back,” she said.
Since that day, McDonald has held Remembrance Day ceremonies at Enoch for the past 31 years.
“I made an oath to those two warriors and to my uncles George Hope and Robert Hope and other warriors I knew that they would never be forgotten on Remembrance Day,” she said.
Desmond Bull, Grand Chief of Treaty Six territories, wore full head regalia with his tailored suit.
“We hear these stories that are disheartening,” Bull said, noting that nationality and culture didn’t matter in the heat of battle.
“We fought for human rights we share,” he said.
He found Wednesday’s ceremonies moving.
“This is a one step moving towards reconciliation,” Bull said. “We must learn from our history so we don’t repeat it.”
Chuck Isaacs, president of the Aboriginal Veterans Society of Alberta, served from the Cold War to mine-clearing in Yugoslavia.
Isaacs, whose family military records extend into Canada’s more distant past, said that Veterans Affairs numbers of 15,000 Indigenous Canadians serving in the First World War, Second World War and Korea are way low.
Poor record keeping, poor research and even racism contribute to the disparity in numbers, Isaacs said.
“Thirty years ago, it would have been hard enough for somebody to get past themselves and admit that without the Indigenous people, Canada wouldn’t be here because the British and the French used the Indigenous people to fight against the Americans. Without them, we’d all be living in America right now,” Isaacs said.
A great-great-great-uncle of his, Donald Ross, was the last man to die at the Battle of Batoche, the definitive battle of the Métis rebellion, Isaacs said.
“When I go out to the veterans monument at Smoky Lake, there’s probably 50 names on that monument from my family,” he said.
Metis veteran Donald Langford signed up for the Canadian military at the Calgary Stampede in 1959.
“I was going to the rodeo and something happened,” he said with a grin.
Langford’s chest is covered with medals recognizing his 37 years of service.
But he always carries his grandfather’s medals from the First World War — and his death certificate. Leonard Langford died on the Western Front on Aug. 1, 1917.
Wednesday’s ceremony was a long time coming, Donald Langford said.
“A lot of people don’t really understand the real-life history of the Indigenous people in the military,” he said.
Now executive director of Métis Child and Family Services in Edmonton, Langford uses skillsets learned in the military.
He said the recognition of Indigenous veterans is needed because of hardships they went through coming back from the two world wars when they were given a run around between Indian Affairs and Veterans Affairs.
“This day allows the community to recognize that yes, we do serve and we do participate. It’s our duty, because it’s our country,” he said.
Jaynine McCrae is part of Edmonton’s large Inuit community. In a rhythmic, almost dance-like performance with a thin white drum, she accompanied her mother as the elder McCrae, a native of former Coppermine, Nunavut, (now Kugluktuk) sang a stirring song in her traditional language about caribou.
“It was an honour to be included,” Jaynine McCrae said.
Rousing traditional drums and singing from the Enoch Cree First Nation set the tone for Edmonton’s first-ever Indigenous Veterans Day ceremony Wednesday at city hall.
Gladys McDonald opened the event in prayer.
An elder at the Enoch Cree First Nation, she recalled laying a wreath for Indigenous soldiers at the cenotaph in Devon when two Indigenous veterans told her of their service — one had his leg blown off in combat — and that they felt forgotten in their own community.
“They were not treated right when they came back,” she said.
Since that day, McDonald has held Remembrance Day ceremonies at Enoch for the past 31 years.
“I made an oath to those two warriors and to my uncles George Hope and Robert Hope and other warriors I knew that they would never be forgotten on Remembrance Day,” she said.
Desmond Bull, Grand Chief of Treaty Six territories, wore full head regalia with his tailored suit.
“We hear these stories that are disheartening,” Bull said, noting that nationality and culture didn’t matter in the heat of battle.
“We fought for human rights we share,” he said.
He found Wednesday’s ceremonies moving.
“This is a one step moving towards reconciliation,” Bull said. “We must learn from our history so we don’t repeat it.”
Chuck Isaacs, president of the Aboriginal Veterans Society of Alberta, served from the Cold War to mine-clearing in Yugoslavia.
Isaacs, whose family military records extend into Canada’s more distant past, said that Veterans Affairs numbers of 15,000 Indigenous Canadians serving in the First World War, Second World War and Korea are way low.
Poor record keeping, poor research and even racism contribute to the disparity in numbers, Isaacs said.
“Thirty years ago, it would have been hard enough for somebody to get past themselves and admit that without the Indigenous people, Canada wouldn’t be here because the British and the French used the Indigenous people to fight against the Americans. Without them, we’d all be living in America right now,” Isaacs said.
A great-great-great-uncle of his, Donald Ross, was the last man to die at the Battle of Batoche, the definitive battle of the Métis rebellion, Isaacs said.
“When I go out to the veterans monument at Smoky Lake, there’s probably 50 names on that monument from my family,” he said.
Metis veteran Donald Langford signed up for the Canadian military at the Calgary Stampede in 1959.
“I was going to the rodeo and something happened,” he said with a grin.
Langford’s chest is covered with medals recognizing his 37 years of service.
But he always carries his grandfather’s medals from the First World War — and his death certificate. Leonard Langford died on the Western Front on Aug. 1, 1917.
Wednesday’s ceremony was a long time coming, Donald Langford said.
“A lot of people don’t really understand the real-life history of the Indigenous people in the military,” he said.
Now executive director of Métis Child and Family Services in Edmonton, Langford uses skillsets learned in the military.
He said the recognition of Indigenous veterans is needed because of hardships they went through coming back from the two world wars when they were given a run around between Indian Affairs and Veterans Affairs.
“This day allows the community to recognize that yes, we do serve and we do participate. It’s our duty, because it’s our country,” he said.
Jaynine McCrae is part of Edmonton’s large Inuit community. In a rhythmic, almost dance-like performance with a thin white drum, she accompanied her mother as the elder McCrae, a native of former Coppermine, Nunavut, (now Kugluktuk) sang a stirring song in her traditional language about caribou.
“It was an honour to be included,” Jaynine McCrae said.
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