The Assembly of First Nations wants Ottawa to include indigenous languages in Remembrance Day ceremonies and expand the definition of a veteran to recognize indigenous fighters who served before Confederation.The recommendations were presented to Veterans Affairs Canada during a private two-day meeting of the First Nations Veterans Council at Toronto’s Royal York Hotel, according to departmental emails obtained through Access to Information and reported by Blacklock’s Reporter.The council argued that Remembrance Day ceremonies should not be limited to English and French when honouring Canadians who served and died in military conflicts.“The Act of remembrance and commitment to remember is only being read at Government of Canada ceremonies in English and French,” departmental staff wrote in an account of the meeting.“An Indigenous language should be included as well.”Blacklock's Reporter said the council also recommended broadening the federal government's definition of a veteran to include indigenous people who fought in conflicts before Canada became a country in 1867.“The Government of Canada should recognize Canadian service in the United States, Indigenous service pre-Confederation, and RCMP service,” the departmental account stated.Veterans Affairs staff described the discussions as positive.“The tone was warm and collaborative,” employees wrote.However, council members cautioned that adding indigenous languages and traditions to federal commemorations would require careful consideration of cultural protocols.“First Nations Veterans Council members advised that ceremonial readings should be specifically noted as commemorative ceremonial readings as appropriate, in order to minimize confusion as First Nations ceremonies hold important meaning,” staff wrote.“Caution was also offered to ensure the department was following translation protocols for each community.”The discussions also raised concerns about the design and cultural symbolism of the National Monument to Canada's Mission in Afghanistan in Ottawa.The meeting followed a May 4 groundbreaking ceremony for the monument that did not include public remarks from Canadian combat veterans who served in Afghanistan..Speakers instead included indigenous sculptor Adrian Stimson of Alberta's Siksika First Nation, whose design incorporates a Blackfoot medicine wheel.The monument commemorates 2,229 Canadian casualties during the Afghanistan mission, including 158 military personnel who died.Departmental records indicate the council raised concerns about how indigenous cultural symbols were being incorporated into the memorial.“Considerable discussion took place regarding the dangers of cultural appropriation or perceived cultural appropriation in the presentation of the Afghanistan Monument’s design inspiration by the teachings of the medicine wheel,” staff wrote.“The First Nations Veterans Council cautioned Veterans Affairs Canada to keep this in mind.”Council members also warned that medicine wheel teachings are not identical across indigenous communities and should not be presented as universally representative.“They also cautioned that the teachings of the medicine wheel vary from community to community and can even be slightly different from family to family, so it might be advisable to be specific that it is the Blackfoot medicine wheel,” staff wrote.The Afghanistan monument also includes an Algonquin-language inscription.According to a May 25 Veterans Affairs memo titled National Monument To Canada’s Mission In Afghanistan Text Element Changes, the inscription was added to acknowledge the indigenous peoples whose traditional territory includes the monument's location.The department said the inscription was intended to “recognize the Indigenous peoples on whose traditional territory the Monument stands, support reconciliation.”The recommendations would potentially change how the federal government conducts Remembrance Day observances and determines who qualifies for recognition as a veteran.The departmental correspondence did not indicate whether Ottawa intends to adopt the proposals or establish a timeline for considering them.
