Money will pay to complete Aboriginal war memorial

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In an announcement by Indian Affairs Minister Andy Scott, the National Aboriginal Veterans Association will receive $100,000.

Of the funding, $50,000 will go towards the completion of the National Aboriginal Veterans Monument in Ottawa. Four bronze panels depicting the First and Second World Wars, the Korean War and peacekeeping will be set into the monument granite base.

Originally announced in 1996, the monument was unveiled June 21, 2001, National Aboriginal Day, but it wasn't complete.

National Aboriginal Veterans Association President Claude Petit, a Metis veteran of the Korean War, said the original plan was to have the plates set for the 2001 unveiling, but the funding came up short.

A 1996 press release from Indian and Northern Affairs Canada rolled out the monument. It said the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs "provided (the Aboriginal veterans association) with $80,000 to fund the start-up costs for the project. The second part of the process is a fund-raising campaign. NAVA hopes to raise about $700,000 over the next two years to cover the cost of construction and maintenance of the monument."

Petit said they were successful at raising the money through private and commercial interests. "We raised close to a million dollars. We ran out of money to finish (the monument.) We just couldn't raise it.

"We just made do with [the money] we got," Petit said, talking about the government funds his organization more recently received. "We're doing it in little bits and pieces."

It was just last year the monument's lighting was completed, Petit said.

Some Aboriginal war veterans, while saying monuments are nice, also say they would rather see funding directed towards the needs of individual Aboriginal war veterans.

"It doesn't serve any purpose of putting bread and butter on the plate and giving you a place to stay," said Metis Korean War veteran Bob Ducharme.

Petit understands, but said

"... the thing is, the government (won't do any more.) They don't want to commit themselves to helping every veteran. It's easier to make a monument."

The other $50,000 will fund the ongoing communications program run by the Aboriginal veterans association. The money will fund newsletters, travel, meetings of the steering committee, and administration, Petit said.

The communications program is to ensure Aboriginal veterans are aware of the full range of programs and services provided by Veterans Affairs Canada.

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Monument honours Pic River and Long Lake veterans

November 11 was quite a day to remember for members of Pic River First Nation and Long Lake First Nation. This year the two communities marked Remembrance Day by unveiling a monument dedicated to veterans from both reserves.

The monument, which sits on the grounds of St. Francis Xavier Church on Pic River First Nation, was built with funds raised by the Pic River Historical Committee. The committee spent an entire year on their fundraising efforts, raising $4,200.

The unveiling ceremony began with the smoking of the pipe, with 12 local pipe carriers in attendance. A drum group made up of boys from grades 7 and 8 performed during the ceremony, as did girls from grades 3 and 4, who sang and played hand drums.

Of the 22 veterans whose names are inscribed on the memorial (11 from each community) only one is still living- Duncan Michano Sr. of Pic River, who was able to attend the honouring ceremony.

Long Lake council members Scott Desmoulin and Frank O'Nabigon attended the ceremony on behalf of their community's veterans, while Pic River Chief Roy Michano attended on behalf of council.