We Shall Remember: Canadian Indians an World War II
Name
Janet Frances Davison
Type of Resource
text
Genre
Thesis
Abstract
--Description taken from "We Shall Remember"--
Canadian Indian communities opted in to the nation wholeheartedly during the Second World War, acting in every
way as responsible citizens. Both men and women volunteered to serve in the Armed Forces; others collected goods for
the war effort, raised money for war-time charities and offered homes for orphans of the European countries
devastated by the war. Canadian Indians willingly shared their abilities and their possessions to help Canada win the
war. And yet, the full extent of their generosity has seldom been acknowledged; little record appears in the
nation’s history books of the enthusiastic support Native Canadians gave to every aspect of the war effort.
Furthermore, the Indian Affairs Branch never made the connection between the actions of Indians as patriotic
citizens and the need to respond to Indian political leaders' demands for more autonomy. Instead, Indian Affairs
took advantage of the war years to add even more powers over the lives of Indians by intervening between Indian veterans
and the Departments of National Defense and Veterans Affairs. In so doing, Indian Affairs seriously jeopardized
the veterans' access to benefits they had earned as members of the Canadian Armed Forces. The Government of Canada owes
Indian veterans public recognition of their contributions and redress of any shortfall in veterans’ benefits.