SASKATOON — Métis Nation-Saskatchewan is paying special homage on Nov. 8 to Métis veterans who answered the call to defend our country.
The private ceremony to honour all Métis veterans and their families will be at the eternal flame at Batoche Festival Grounds.
The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. and feature the Act of Remembrance in Michif as read by Métis veteran Felix Merasty.
The ceremony will also be live-streamed for citizens of the Saskatchewan Métis Nation at metisnationsk.com/veterans/.
The ceremony will be at the Batoche Festival Grounds north of Rosthern. Batoche is about 11 kilometres north of junction 225. The event is closed to the general public.
In related news, the City of Saskatoon will be holding its own National Indigenous Veterans Day ceremony on the same day to recognize the historical and present-day military service and contributions done by Indigenous Peoples.
An estimated 12,000 First Nations, Inuit and Métis served in the significant conflicts of the 20th century and at least 500 lost their lives.
Indigenous Peoples have had to overcome many challenges to serve in uniform — from learning a new language and adapting to cultural differences to travelling great distances from their remote communities to enlist.
Indigenous men and women have continued to serve in uniform in the post-war years, fulfilling North Atlantic Treaty Organization duties in Europe during the Cold War, serving as United Nations peacekeeping forces and other multinational peace support operations.
Many Indigenous Canadian Armed Forces members have seen hazardous duty in Afghanistan in recent years.
Indigenous military personnel have also filled various roles closer to home, including serving with the Canadian Rangers. This group of army reservists is active predominantly in the North and on remote stretches of our east and west coasts.
The Rangers use their intimate knowledge of the land there to help maintain a national military presence in these difficult-to-reach areas, monitoring the coastlines and assisting in local rescue operations.
The City of Saskatoon would like to express gratitude for contributions made by Indigenous veterans to Canada and the world. Residents can show their respect by wearing a beaded or unbeaded poppy on Tuesday, Nov. 8.
Learn more about Indigenous Veterans or the City’s newly launched Veteran Parking Pilot Project.
