Indigenous veterans recognized by consulate
Kahnawake veterans from the Royal Canadian Legion Mohawk Branch 219 (from left to right) Peter “Pitt” Jacobs, Louie Stacey, Gerald Marquis, Legion president Ray Deer, Eric Bush, and Tracy Cross accepted the invitation from the consul general of France in Montreal, Marie Lapierre, to come participate in the ceremonies celebrating 80 years since the end of the Second World War in Europe. Courtesy Ray Deer
Last Thursday, May 8, was Victory in Europe Day, commemorating the day Nazi Germany formally surrendered in 1945, ending the Second World War in Europe.
While not an official holiday in North America, it is in Europe, which is why the Consulate General of France in Montreal held a commemoration ceremony at the consulate residence and in front of the French Servicemen Cenotaph in Lafontaine Park on May 10, inviting many Royal Canadian Legions to the ceremony, including Kahnawake’s Mohawk Branch 219.
“We wouldn’t pass up an opportunity like that,” said Legion president Ray Deer, who attended with Peter “Pitt” Jacobs, Louie Stacey, Gerald Marquis, Eric Bush, and Tracy Cross.
“We flew our Legion banner and our Haudenosaunee flag, and there were quite a few other representatives that flew their regimental flags as well,” said Deer.
The Kahnawake contingent also laid a wreath at the cenotaph in Lafontaine Park to honour the 178 WWII veterans from the community - six of whom were women.
Marie Lapierre, the consul general of France in Montreal, made sure to highlight the efforts and sacrifices of Indigenous soldiers in Canada’s armed forces in WWII as part of her speech on Saturday.
“We remember that amongst the Canadian troops, almost 4,000 of them were Indigenous volunteers. France, represented in Montreal, wishes to pay tribute to them, and particularly to the volunteers of Kahnawake and their representatives here today with us,” said Lapierre.
She and the consul general of Germany in Montreal, then proceeded to lay a wreath of their own to show the friendship between the two nations in the years since the end of the war.
Deer presented Lapierre with a few gifts: a beaded poppy, some maple syrup produced in the territory, and a wooden basket made of ash that historically would be given to dignitaries.
The Kahnawake veterans also got to visit the consulate building itself.
The Legion president said that in the almost 73 years of the 219 branch’s existence, this was the first time they had ever been invited to an event from a consulate that was not the American one.
“To get the invite, and accept the invite, this is a once-in-a-lifetime thing. It was totally different. It is nice to know that they appreciated that our men and women served and helped to liberate not only France, but all of Europe,” said Deer.
They have been invited to other Legion branches or by the Canadian Armed Forces for commemorations of Remembrance Day or other special occasions, but to not only be invited by a non-North American consulate, but also be specifically honoured during the ceremonies was very special for the members of the Kahnawake Legion who were able to attend.
“It was great. We came back, and we all felt like we had been put on a pedestal,” said Deer.
He was also impressed by her level of knowledge of the Legion, which he credited to her having visited the community once before at the 207 Longhouse.
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“She had a lot of knowledge that she must have acquired after her visit to the Longhouse. She knew quite a bit about us, and she was very proud that we attended, and we were very proud to be invited and to have participated,” said Deer.
