Petit receives province's highest honor

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One day before his 67th birthday, Saskatoon Metis leader Claude Petit traveled to Regina to receive the Saskatchewan Order of Merit, the highest honor bestowed by the province.

Petit is one of the six recipients of this year's Order, which he received on Oct. 30 in recognition of the many contributions he has made to the Aboriginal community.

"It was outstanding when I first got the word that I was going to get it. I was really surprised," Petit said of his most recent honor.

"The distinguished citizens honored by the Order of Merit continue a tradition of excellence and service that has enhanced the quality of life for all Saskatchewan residents," said Lt.-Gov. Lynda Haverstock. "Coming from all walks of life, the recipients exemplify the courage and selfless spirit that built our province."

Born in Duck Lake, Sask.,, Petit said he never had a role model, but has served as a role model for others.

"I don't mind as long as it's helping somebody. It's a problem with young people now; trying to keep them in a straight line is very hard. They get involved with drugs, and liquor, and women at a young age," he said.

He has been involved in boxing for a number of years, both inside and outside of the ring.

In 1964, Petit won the British Army Heavyweight Boxing Championship, the only Canadian to ever win the title. He was inducted in the Canadian Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991 and has been president of the Saskatchewan Amateur Boxing Association since 1993.

"In my lifetime so far, I did a lot of things such as boxing and also working with the veterans...starting up the Back to Batoche Days. I worked with kids setting summer camps, taking underprivileged kids that can't go to summer camps. And the gleam in their eyes when you tell them 'Do you want to go?'-this is a big thing for the kids," he remembered.

"When I was in Regina, I used to have a program with the city where I used to work in the playground. A lot of these kids, not only Native kids but the white kids, were abused by not (having enough to eat) . . . so we set up a lunch so at least they'd have a meal at noon.

"I had a NAP program at that time, the Native Alcoholic Program, and their people would go over and visit the kid's parents to see what the heck was going on. I was mainly trying to help the kids out, you know, for a better life. People don't realize how bad off some of these kids were, especially when you think of it right now-it's getting cold, they haven't got the proper clothing."

In mid-80's, Petit founded the annual Western Canada Native Minor Hockey Championship in Saskatoon because "again our Native children are not getting any good exposure, especially with other people across the country. Now they are with this hockey tournament."

Petit, as a member of the Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry, has served as a paratrooper with the Canadian Armed Forces in Alaska, Canada, Germany and Korea.

It was his idea to construct and set up a bronze monument in Confederation Park in Ottawa that symbolizes the contributions of Aboriginal Veterans in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and peacekeeping.

"I was the key guy to start that off. It's an Aboriginal veterans' monument that represents all Aboriginal groups-First Nations, Metis, women and Inuit. We raised a million dollars [to build it]."

Petit, who is president of the National Aboriginal Veterans Association, has also implemented the Aboriginal Veterans Millennium Medal, which is awarded to veterans and descendants of those killed in action.

The Saskatchewan Order of Merit is just the latest recognition for Petit. He was named a Citizen of the Year by the City of Saskatoon in 1994, and received the Order of Canada in 1998.