On the eve of National Indigenous Peoples Day, I attended a free Indigenous Reconciliation Gathering at 17 Wing Winnipeg-honouring First Nations, Métis, and Inuit service members and veterans.
Organised with the Southern Chiefs’ Organization, the Manitoba Métis Federation, and the local Inuit community, the gathering included an opening prayer, honest conversations on truth and reconciliation, and a military flypast honouring Indigenous veterans.
Indigenous veterans have been among the least recognised contributors to Canada's military history. Watching the RCAF honour them publicly, deliberately, and in partnership with Indigenous organisations felt like the beginning of a correction that is long overdue. To every Indigenous veteran, your service was real. You are seen.