Veterans Affairs Committee on June 5th, 2018

[Colin Fraser, Liberal, West Nova, NS]

I think that's a good point. It is an important symbol of the sacrifice that indigenous veterans have made for the country.

Just on the educational piece, I wonder if you could comment on the fact that, throughout our history as a country, there have been aboriginal veterans who have fought for Canada. They fought at Vimy Ridge in World War I, on the beaches of Normandy in World War II, throughout Korea, and through more modern-day conflicts.

Don't you think we need to do a better job, as a country, in telling our young people about the role that indigenous veterans have played in our military?

[Wallace J. Bona]

It is important. I know there's a movement on in Alberta, within the school system—I was able to sit in on a meeting with the Minister of Education—where they want to address more military history in the curriculum. I've been approached by the military museum in Calgary, where they want to involve more aboriginal veterans to get more information about them.

I find that the issue is that people don't always want to talk about it. It only seems that the stories come out when I go out and promote the bold eagle program, or we attend funerals, or they see us dressed in our uniform, but generally, they keep very quiet about it.

I think that maybe the national aboriginal war memorial would be a good start, for sure.

[Colin Fraser, Liberal, West Nova, NS]

As a committee, we've heard, throughout the various studies we've been conducting, how important not only outreach is to veterans, who maybe feel like they don't have confidence in the Veterans Affairs Department—

[Wallace J. Bona]

That's really nice of them.

[Colin Fraser, Liberal, West Nova, NS]

—but also how important and critical it is to have peer support, from somebody who's been through these difficulties, who you trust and has that same knowledge and background.

From your perspective, is that true of indigenous veterans as well and is there any advantage in having an indigenous peer who's been through similar things with Veterans Affairs that would be helpful to a veteran transitioning from the military, for example?

[Wallace J. Bona]

I never grew up on a reserve. I was born in Churchill, so I guess you'd say I lived in the white man's world. I do know, from some of the members in our society and talking to people out in the different indigenous communities, that there's a strong connection with their communities. From what I understand, some have been successful, while others...you know, alcoholism, abject poverty, and various addictions.

I think it's going to be very hard because I know that, in Alberta, there are communities all over the place and in very remote areas. I can't see how you're going to get something like the OSISS program to go to reserves because a lot of reserves don't want them. They don't want the government there.

[The Chair, Liberal, Neil Ellis]

Mr. Jeneroux, you have six minutes.

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

Perfect. Thank you, Mr. Bona, for being here today and for your continued service to veterans and the aboriginal community.

I am from Edmonton, as well, and I want to hear your testimony and have the opportunity to ask you a few questions. I understand intimately all the references you are making to Boyle Street and Kipnes.

I was reading a report from the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network that says Veterans Affairs estimates there are 7,000 first nations vets who served in the First and Second World wars, and the Korean War. Other estimates we've seen are that around 12,000 indigenous men and women served. I wonder if you have any comments on the numbers.

[Wallace J. Bona]

From what I have read, I would say those are conservative estimates. I'd also like to point out that there are indications that indigenous communities did volunteer way out of proportion to the mainstream during the different conflicts, that's for sure, and continue to do so today.

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

If you don't have a number estimate, would you have a breakdown, perhaps, of men and women from that?

Would you have, percentage-wise, the number of men and women who served within the wars?

[Wallace J. Bona]

I couldn't give you those figures.

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

I think APTN estimated it was 65% men, and I was just curious as to the breakdown that your organization would or wouldn't have. If you don't have that, that's fine.

You mentioned Boyle Street a number of times. Thank you for going there. It's a fantastic community organization in Edmonton. I'm curious, though, where else in Edmonton, and in Alberta, the Aboriginal Veterans Society of Alberta spends the time to connect with the veterans who are on the street, as you mentioned.

[Wallace J. Bona]

Right now, it has just been the Edmonton area. An elder approached me, and in a sense, I guess you could say, challenged me, saying, “There are aboriginal veterans on the street here in Edmonton; what are you going to do about it?”

I know it's going to take time, and it's something that I'm hoping I can guide my executive towards, because we do have to advocate for our own veterans.

I want to do a tour of the province to try to meet with our existing veterans who remain and see what their issues are. Perhaps the committee could come out to Alberta. We are veterans. There are a few of us out there.

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

I come out to Alberta every weekend. I'd be happy to be there with you.

[Wallace J. Bona]

Okay.

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

We do have a number of legions, such as the Kingsway Legion, and I'm thinking even of the hospitals. Has there been much outreach from them to you, or you to them, in terms of connecting with the veterans?

[Wallace J. Bona]

One legion there, the Kingsway Legion, gives us tremendous support, usually in the form of the recognition of being part of their colour party. As well, a couple of years ago I was able to carry the Aboriginal Veterans Society flag at a football game, so that was good. There is different stuff such as that.

Generally, though, we keep to ourselves. We're a small demographic. From my understanding and talking to a few, a lot of the individual members deal directly with Veterans Affairs. Generally, the treatment has been pretty good, but as you know, there will always be people who fall through the cracks. In my opinion, there's a historical context to people falling through the cracks. Colonialism is still pervasive.

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

Mr. Bona, I have only about a minute left, but you brought up the bold eagle program a number of times. I'm curious as to how else you promote that. It sounds as though you promote it at Boyle Street and other places.

[Wallace J. Bona]

I haven't promoted bold eagle at Boyle Street. That was something specific to aboriginal veterans being on the street.

We work a little bit in conjunction with the recruiting group in Alberta. They give us some support with brochures and that sort of thing, and then we also work—I shouldn't say hand in hand, but when we set up at job fairs, we'll set up with the RCMP, so generally if an individual wants to join the RCMP, we will say, “If you complete the bold eagle program and it's on your resumé, it helps us out”. They will refer us, or they will say they were thinking about the bold eagle program but they really want to get into the RCMP and we say, “Talk to the RCMP first and maybe come back and talk to us”.

The RCMP has been a stalwart supporter of the Aboriginal Veterans Society, very much so.

[The Chair, Liberal, Neil Ellis]

Thank you.

We'll end with Mr. Samson, for six minutes.

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

Mr. Bona, thank you very much for coming in today and for sharing your experiences and your opinions.

As I indicated earlier, Bona is indigenous but it's also Acadian as well, so many Acadians in my community in Cape Breton are French-speaking Bonas.

[Wallace J. Bona]

I've been told it was a young man from Normandy who got off the boat in Louisbourg in the 1700s. That's what I've been told.

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

It makes a lot of sense, that he was protecting, as a soldier, the fortress at Louisbourg, which is probably how it unfolded.

I want to thank you, of course, for your service as well.

I want to learn more. Throughout our trip last week there was a lot of information about a lot of indigenous people holding dual citizenship. Can you speak on that?

[Wallace J. Bona]

Dual citizenship in which...?

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

I mean Canadian and American.