Regina unveils Indigenous veterans memorial

Chris Edwards · CBC News

· Posted: May 04, 2025 11:18 AM EDT | Last Updated: 2 minutes ago

Saskatchewan's lieutenant-governor and a big of First Nations dignitaries unveiled an Indigenous veterans monument successful Regina's Victoria Park connected Saturday.

The imperishable monument, which stands successful the confederate information of the park's cardinal walkway, honours each Indigenous veterans who fought for Canada done its history.

It notes that portion respective 1000 First Nations, Metis and Inuit radical willingly volunteered to combat for Canada, upon returning location galore were discriminated against by the Canadian authorities and not afforded the benefits fixed to non-Indigenous veterans.

"This beauteous monument is simply a tangible awesome of gratitude for the work and sacrifices of our Indigenous veterans," said Saskatchewan Lt.-Gov. Bernadette McIntyre during the unveiling ceremony.  

"By publically saying convey you, we assistance to statesman the process of healing."

The monument is simply a collaboration betwixt Veterans Affairs Canada, galore Indigenous veterans and respective Crown Corporations. 

On its side, the connection "honour" is displayed successful Cree, Lakota, Dakota, Nakota, Michif, Anihsinape and Dene. 

Brad Hrycyna, the Chair of the Indigenous Veterans Monument Committee, said Victoria Park was chosen arsenic the determination for the memorial due to the fact that of its precocious ft traffic.

"We wanted to marque definite that the citizens of Regina and Saskatchewan afloat recognize that the Indigenous veterans that fought successful the wars, adjacent though by pact were not required to bash so, fought with courageousness and accomplishment and honour," helium said. 

"And erstwhile they were released from the army, they were not fixed the grants specified arsenic education, onshore grants and different fiscal benefits that the non-Indigenous veterans were accorded."

Regina successful peculiar is notable for Indigenous subject history, said Alex Maurice, an Indigenous seasoned and president of the National Aboriginal Veterans Association. In his code astatine the ceremony, helium recounted the past of the Regina Rifle Regiment, which was successful the archetypal question of landings connected Juno Beach connected D-Day and progressed farther inland than immoderate different Canadian unit. 

According to Heritage Regina, astatine slightest 20 per cent of the regiment identified arsenic Indigenous during the war.

"I ever wondered 'why, wherefore would they join?'" said Craig McCallum, the 4th Vice-Chief of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN). McCallum leads the veterans portfolio with the FSIN, and says he's heard the stories of galore Indigenous veterans. 

"A batch of them said the aforesaid things. They emotion this land. They loved our mode of life, they loved our people. And they besides loved our pact relationship. They did it to honour our portion of the treaty. They did it due to the fact that we're pact partners. And truthful for america to beryllium backmost and ticker Canada spell into warfare and not bash anything, that's not a partnership, that's not a existent relationship."

The 80th day of the Allied triumph successful Europe volition instrumentality spot connected May 8. Indigenous Veterans Day volition beryllium held connected Nov. 8.