According to the federal government, more than 2,700 members of the Canadian Armed Forces are Indigenous.
This is Indigenous Veterans Day across Canada. A time to honour First Nation, Metis and Inuit soldiers and veterans, and their legacy of more than 200 years of military service in the Armed Forces. Indigenous Veterans Day was first established in Manitoba in 1994. Brendan Mitchell is the Regional Chief of the Assembly of First Nations and honorary Lieutenant Colonel of the 2nd Battalion. He thinks of Cpl Pinksen of Corner Brook, who died in Afghanistan. According to the federal government, more than 2,700 members of the Canadian Armed Forces are Indigenous. Mitchell says Indigenous people have served and continue to serve. According to Veterans Affairs Canada, close to 12,000 First Nation, Metis and Inuit people served in wars with at least 500 dead.