Veterans
honoured
Aboriginal Veterans
make partnership progress
with federal government
By Dene Skylar
Aboriginal Elder & veteran Tom Eagle, who is Chairman of the Aboriginal Veterans, North of the 60th Parallel, announced a significant breakthrough in the long-standing struggle to bring a resolution to the injustices and inequalities suffered by First Nations veterans.
Tom Eagle said, “Members of the AFN and myself met with the Minister of Veterans Affairs, Honourable Gregory Thompson on October 17th, 2007. In that meeting we offered the Minister an opportunity to work with us to address the injustices and inequalities suffered by First Nations veterans who served Canada and the free world in times of war and during peace keeping missions. In response to our request to work in partnership on these important matters the Minister said, ‘I will wait for your instructions,’ which to us means that there is a commitment from the Minister to cooperate on this important work.”
Tom Eagle further stated, “I think this government is prepared to address these issues and resolve them.”
Mr. Eagle is an impressive Elder and determined veteran. He has led the charge in one of the most under reported stories of inequitable treatment of soldiers in Canada and likely the free world. Many Canadians are unaware of the severe discrimination that Aboriginal Veterans faced in Canada. Prior to 1960, the year “Indians” were given the franchise (right to vote in federal elections), human beings of Indian status in Canada were forced to disenfranchise or give up their identity as Status Indians. Tom Eagle was among the disenfranchised Canadian Aboriginal people who lost their Indian status when voluntarily joining the Canadian military to serve his country.
Tom soon discovered the legacy of discrimination that his former Aboriginal veterans faced when returning home from front line duty. Many Aboriginal veterans were marginalized when they returned home to Canada and from service in WW I, WW II and the Korean War. Most never obtained the services and benefits provided to other non-Aboriginal soldiers.
Tom Eagle was born into the Ojibway culture. He had to attend residential school as a young child. His parents and grandparents were strong and they made sure Tom practiced and preserved his language and culture. They provided a foundation built on a strong cultural identity which provided Tom with the skills and confidence to succeed.
Tom enlisted at the age of 19 in hopes of fighting in the Korean War but he was sent to Germany as a member of NATO forces. Within six months he earned the rank of Corporal and was later promoted to Platoon Commander and Sergeant. After 25 years of service, he retired in 1971 and settled in Yellowknife, NT. But Tom continued to serve his community through his important work as Executive Director of the Tree of Peace Friendship Center in Yellowknife.
Tom also served as President of the NWT/Nunavut branch of the Army Cadet League of Canada, an active member of the Royal Canadian Legion, and past Chairman and current member of the First Nations Veterans Association of Canada. In April 2007 Tom was welcomed as a Life Member of the Army Cadet League of Canada.
Tom also received a Veterans Affairs Commendation earlier this year for his long service to his country.
“When I joined the Canadian military in 1951,” he says, “I voluntarily joined to serve my country and everything that our democratic principles stood for. Things like freedom of expression, mobility rights, equality under the law.”
Service is Tom’s life. He has made a significant contribution to Canada through his service in the military and through his dedicated community wellness service. So it is fitting for this impressive Aboriginal veteran to continue to influence the fight for Aboriginal veterans’ rights in Canada by continually taking the high ground of Aboriginal values upon which the Canadian democratic foundation was built.
Tom Eagle’s words optimistically embrace the ongoing battle toward equity, as he states, “I am glad that this government is prepared to correct the injustices of the past so as to ensure inequitable treatment of Canadians does not occur in the future.”
Tom continues to assist the AFN and other Aboriginal veterans in discussions with the government to address past treatment of Aboriginal veterans – an honourable pursuit, lest we forget the most forgotten of Canada.