Canadian Armed Forces

Introduction

While exact statistics are difficult to determine, the rate of Indigenous participation in Canada's military efforts over the years has been impressive. These determined volunteers were often forced to overcome many challenges to serve in uniform, from learning a new language and adapting to cultural differences, to having to travel great distances from their remote communities just to enlist. The challenges they faced often extended to their post-service life. Many Indigenous war Veterans would not receive equal treatment compared to other Canadian Veterans.

Carey’s passion for sport relates back to his time growing up and playing football. “In my younger days I was very lucky to play football for a long time, so I was always part of a team.” He played as part of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport league, now known as U SPORTS, starting as a defensive back at Acadia University. After a successful few years with Acadia, Carey moved on to the Canadian Football League, more commonly known as the CFL. Carey’s CFL career lasted from 1994 to 1998 and included stints with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Gordon graduated high school and enlisted shortly afterwards, starting his basic training on 4 January 2004. After beginning his career as an infantryman, he switched paths and became an Armoured crewman. He later joined the Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians) in Edmonton, Alberta, where he trained as a heavy armour tank driver and tank gunner.

“I always wanted to be a soldier, my whole life, it was something I always wanted to be a part of.”

Captain (N) Harold (Hal) Richard Tilley' (Ret’d) began his service to Canada at the age of 17 and it lasted until the day he died. Born in New York City in 1923, Harold Richard Tilley received his second name from a naval officer, a family hero of the First World War. He spent his first summers in Canada swimming, canoeing and sailing. He then attended Lakefield College School in Ontario, and after earning the Governor General’s Medal for Academic Excellence, he decided in 1941 to join the Royal Canadian Navy.

Goodman came home from his service with a souvenir he would only uncover 25 years later. He served in France and Belgium and was wounded in the Netherlands during the fighting in the Scheldt Estuary. His regiment was positioned near a Dutch farmhouse when they were attacked by the Germans and ended up covered in shrapnel. Goodman spent two weeks in a field hospital near Antwerp. Twenty-five years later, a British doctor would discover a piece of shrapnel, the size of a thumbnail, still lodged in his chest. His son now has this piece of shrapnel as a reminder of his father’s service.

Pearson was reassigned to the South Saskatchewan Regiment in September 1944, arriving with a small group of reinforcements to bring the regiment up to strength after suffering numerous battle casualties. During the Second World War, Pearson served in Canada, Belgium, Holland, Germany and the United Kingdom.

Young Tommy Prince

Thomas George "Tommy" Prince was one of 11 children born to Henry and Arabella Prince of the Brokenhead Band at Scanterbury, Manitoba. He was a descendant of Peguis, the Saulteaux Chief who led his band of 200 Ojibwa from the Sault Ste. Marie region to the Red River in the 1790s, and of Chief William Prince, who headed the Ojibwa-Manitoba team of Nile Voyageurs.

Growing up in rural Newfoundland, Two-Spirit Indigenous Veteran Sharp Dopler had a curious mind and a gift for learning.

Dopler was born into a military family of Irish and Aniuyunwiya/Meskwakie/Ashkwakie descent, and despite passing as white, they experienced frequent acts of racial discrimination.

Although they were given unconditional acceptance and love by their family, Dopler’s self-esteem suffered. They said they never “really felt seen or good at anything.”

Deploying to the ice storm

I was with the 2^nd Field Artillery Regiment in Montréal and I had just rejoined the army. I was a Lieutenant at the time. It was the first time the Reserves had been mobilized since the Second World War. I heard on the radio that reservists had to report to their units! I remember in those first few days we saw total darkness, then exploding blue transformers. It was surreal! I served three weeks during the operation.