The following statement was read in the House of Assembly today by the Honourable Lela Evans, Minister of Labrador Affairs and Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation:

Speaker, I rise to acknowledge an important day of observance in Canada.

November 8 is Indigenous Veterans’ Day, and it is my honour to rise in respect of their courage, contributions and sacrifices in service to our country.

For generations, Indigenous Peoples have answered the call to step forward in times of peace, and in times of conflict. With tremendous determination, Indigenous people have faced and overcome a variety of challenges in order to heed that call.

For generations, Indigenous people have overcome obstacles in order to serve. Indigenous people have had to learn new languages, adapt to cultural differences, and travel great distances from remote regions to enlist.

In doing so, Speaker, they have not simply overcome such challenges, they have indeed made exceptional contributions in the line of duty, and they continue to make those exceptional contributions today.

Today I wish to thank the thousands of Indigenous individuals who served during the First and Second World Wars, the Korean Conflict, and modern peacekeeping efforts abroad.

Speaker, on Indigenous Veterans Day, as we wear the poppy, let us offer gratitude, carry their stories onward, and ensure that the legacy of Indigenous veterans is woven tightly into the very fabric of our nation’s history.

Thank you.