On November 8th, along with every other day of the year, all of us at 106.5 Elmnt fm remember all of the contributions that have been made by Indigenous Veterans over the years.

Indigenous Veterans have heavily contributed to a number of victories over the years, including World War I and World War II, where Indigenous Peoples served as code breakers and code talkers using Indigenous languages among several other roles. Indigenous Peoples also allowed their land to be used for airports, rifle ranges, and defense bases.

However, despite all of their military accomplishments and contributions, Indigenous Veterans have also historically been disenfranchised. Indigenous Peoples who wished to serve during World War I and World War II had to give up their Indigenous status, and were denied benefits that other soldiers received upon returning home.

Therefore, today and every other day, we acknowledge and thank those Indigenous Peoples who have contributed, and continue to contribute to Canada’s military.