âNovember 8 is recognized annually in Canada as National Aboriginal Veterans Day.
National Aboriginal Veterans Day started in Winnipeg in 1994 to honour all First Nations, MĂ©tis and Inuit soldiers who served in war for Canada. Prior to 1994, Indigenous soldiers were not permitted to participate in Remembrance Day ceremonies as a group or to lay wreaths. Indigenous veterans were only allowed to attend as an individual.
1994 was the first year an Indigenous soldier placed a wreath at the Cenotaph in Ottawa. It wasnât until 1995 that Indigenous soldiers were allowed to march as a group or lay a wreath at the Cenotaph in Vancouver. The National Aboriginal Veterans Monument was unveiled in Ottawa in 2001. Learn more about the National Aboriginal Veterans Monument HERE.
