Indigenous Veterans Day is observed on November 8, followed by Remembrance Day on November 11. First Nations, Inuit and Métis people have a long history of military service in Canada. Their stories include courage and sacrifice overseas as well as unequal treatment when many returned home.
Powwow Times had the opportunity to visit with Veteran Darryl Lickers, who shared a special message for students.
When is Indigenous Veterans Day?
Indigenous Veterans Day is observed every year on November 8. It specifically honours First Nations, Inuit and Métis people who served. Remembrance Day follows on November 11 and honours those who served and sacrificed in Canada’s military history more broadly.
How many Indigenous people served in the First World War?
Veterans Affairs Canada reports that more than 4,000 Indigenous people served in uniform during the First World War. The true number is difficult to establish completely. Indigenous soldiers served in many roles, including as scouts and snipers, and at least 50 decorations for bravery were awarded to Indigenous soldiers during the war.
Indigenous service in the Second World War
During the Second World War, more than 3,000 First Nations people, along with an unknown number of Métis and Inuit recruits, served in uniform. Indigenous service members worked across the armed forces and some served in specialized roles including code talking.
More than 12,000 served in 20th-century conflicts
Veterans Affairs Canada estimates that more than 12,000 First Nations, Métis and Inuit people served in the major conflicts of the 20th century, with at least 500 losing their lives.
Henry Louis Norwest: Métis sniper from Alberta
Henry Louis Norwest, a Métis soldier from Alberta, became one of the Canadian Corps’ best-known snipers during the First World War. Veterans Affairs Canada records a divisional sniping total of 115 fatal shots and notes that he received the Military Medal and bar for courage under fire.
Tommy Prince: one of Canada’s best-known Indigenous Veterans
Tommy Prince, from Brokenhead Ojibway Nation in Manitoba, served during the Second World War and the Korean War. His wartime service, including reconnaissance with the First Special Service Force, made him one of Canada’s most recognized Indigenous soldiers.
Service did not mean equal treatment at home
Indigenous soldiers served alongside non-Indigenous comrades, but many returned to a country where discriminatory policies remained. Veterans Affairs Canada documents barriers that prevented many First Nations Veterans from receiving the same access to pensions, land grants and other benefits. The remote location of many reserves also made government programs harder to access.
This history is important because remembrance includes both parts of the story: extraordinary service and sacrifice, and the unequal treatment many Indigenous Veterans experienced afterward.
Indigenous Veterans Day vs. Remembrance Day
- November 8 — Indigenous Veterans Day: honours First Nations, Inuit and Métis Veterans and service members.
- November 11 — Remembrance Day: commemorates Canadians who served and sacrificed in war, military conflict and peace.
How schools can honour Indigenous Veterans
Schools can go beyond a single statistic by learning the name and Nation of an Indigenous Veteran, listening to Veteran stories, discussing both military service and the treatment Veterans faced after returning home, and recognizing November 8 as Indigenous Veterans Day alongside November 11.
