A wreath laying ceremony in honour Indigenous Veterans Day was held at Lakeview Cemetery at 6 p.m. on Nov. 8

Floyd Powder, a retired member of the Canadian Armed Forces, organized the commemoration.

Despite the November chill that evening, the ceremony attracted 20 to 30 people, which is within Covid-19 public health orders.

Dene National Chief Norman Yakeleya was among those to lay a wreath.

Paul Falvo played SA国际影视传媒淟ast PostSA国际影视传媒� and SA国际影视传媒淩eveilleSA国际影视传媒� on bugle.

PowderSA国际影视传媒檚 speech during the ceremony reflected on how Indigenous Veterans Day was started and how Indigenous veterans were treated during the First and Second world wars, as well as the Korean War.

SA国际影视传媒淧eople remember Indigenous Veterans Day as remembering all the good things or accomplishments, the decorations that that Indigenous veterans have made,SA国际影视传媒� said Powder. SA国际影视传媒淭hey donSA国际影视传媒檛 necessarily give the full explanation of the purpose behind or what started Indigenous Veterans Day.

SA国际影视传媒淚t started in Winnipeg in 1994, when Indigenous veterans werenSA国际影视传媒檛 permitted to take part in Remembrance Day ceremonies at the National Memorial in Ottawa,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭he main reason was that (Indigenous) veterans from the First, Second, and Korean War, although they served shoulder to shoulder with other veterans from across Canada, when their service was completed and they returned home, they did not receive the same benefits as anybody else that they served with.SA国际影视传媒�

This was primarily due to the Indian Act, he said.

Powder also directed his attention to statements made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau regarding Indigenous veterans.

SA国际影视传媒淐ommonly we hear SA国际影视传媒� we have statements that are issued SA国际影视传媒� and it all glorifies the good things that Indigenous veterans have done,SA国际影视传媒� said Powder. SA国际影视传媒淓ven in the Prime MinisterSA国际影视传媒檚 speech, thereSA国际影视传媒檚 only one line that says, SA国际影视传媒榖ut throughout our history, Indigenous peoples have not always been treated equally.SA国际影视传媒� And thatSA国际影视传媒檚 it.

SA国际影视传媒淚t doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 expand on why or what they wereSA国际影视传媒檛 treated equally for SA国际影视传媒� primarily, the benefits for those veterans in World War One, Two and Korea.

SA国际影视传媒淭o gloss over the reason why is, to me, doing a disservice for those veterans that were actually denied benefits.SA国际影视传媒�