Image Credit: CFJC Today / Chad Klassen

By Dylana Kneeshaw

INDIGENOUS VETERANS DAY

Tk’emlúps to honour Indigenous veterans during virtual Remembrance Day ceremony

Nov 9, 2020 | 5:09 PM

TK’EMLUPS — November 8 marked Indigenous Veterans Day across Canada, and while in-person ceremonies couldn’t take place, Tk’emlúps chief and council are making sure those who served are honoured.

Come Wednesday (Nov. 11), a small gathering of band leadership, veterans and their families will remember the sacrifices made by all soldiers — and especially Indigenous Canadians so many years ago.

The limited-attendance ceremony at the Tk’emlúps cenotaph will also acknowledge the struggles Indigenous soldiers faced overseas and the injustices they returned to in Canada. Kúkpi7 Rosanne Casimir says these soldiers had to give up a lot when they served.

“They lost their status. And that also contributed to many of them falling through the cracks especially when it came to the supports,” Casimir explains. “We know that Indigenous veterans were denied so many services and supports that were offered to non-Aboriginals, which included land and educational benefits, and also with others they lost benefits that were provided to those Aboriginals who were living off of reserve.”

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Casimir says this week’s virtual event will also commemorate the living members who have served and are actively serving.

“We have Angelina Christina Campbell. She was a leading aircraft woman and she served in Air Force and Peace for three years. Our other band member is Madison Marisa Jules-George and she is currently serving in the Canadian Navy training program. And we also have Isha Jules, who is a sergeant who had served in the Iraq freedom conflict and he served in the army for nine years.”

The public is asked not to attend in person but to view the virtual ceremony on November 11 at 10:30 a.m online at www.tkemlups.ca.