The other day we got to visit with Veteran Darryl Lickers. He had a special message for students in the school division.
Facts About Indigenous Veterans in Canada
- Indigenous Veterans became Enfranchised and lost their status as an Indigenous person when enlisting into the Canadian Army prior to 1951
- Indigenous peoples per capita were the highest ethnic group to sign up to fight for our country
- Cree language was used as a language for Code Talking
- After world war 2, Indigenous veterans fought for the rights for Indigenous peoples to practice their culture which was outlawed. In 1951 Indigenous peoples were now allowed to travel freely to neighboring reserves to visit relatives without a pass from the pass system.
- Indigenous Veterans were not treated equally as other veterans and did not have the same rights as other veterans
- Henry Louis Norwest, a Métis from Alberta and one of the most famous snipers of the entire Canadian Corps, held a divisional sniping record of 115 fatal shots and was awarded the Military Medal and bar for his courage under fire.
- More than 4,000 Indigenous signed up to fight for our Country during world war One
- During The Second World War, over 3,000 Indigenous peoples answered the call again
- Over 12,000 Indigenous peoples have answered the call to protect and fight for our Country in the 20th Century
