Veterans honoured in town
Peter “Pitt” Jacobs, right, alongside member of Parliament Marc Miller. Jacobs was among six veterans in Kahnawake given the King Charles III’s Coronation Medal at a ceremony on Wednesday. Miriam Lafontaine The Eastern Door
More Kahnawa’kehró:non have joined the growing list of those awarded the King Charles III’s Coronation Medal this week. This time around it was the community’s veterans that were honoured, at a ceremony held Wednesday morning at the Royal Canadian Legion Mohawk Branch 219.
The six were all nominated by member of Parliament Marc Miller, a former infantry soldier with the Canadian Armed Forces with a long history supporting the Legion over the years.
“I tried to focus, in my role as member of Parliament, on making sure that those who have served in our Armed Forces, current members, even cadets, but also vets, get their fair share of the recognition,” Miller said just before handing out the medals.
The medal is given out by Canada’s Governor General in recognition of those who’ve made significant contributions to their respective communities or region at large. The award dates back to the 2023 coronation of the king and is being given out to 30,000 people in all this year.
“This is a big honour to receive this as a veteran, and all the veterans that are here I’m sure all feel the same way,” said Legion president Ray Deer, who was among the six awarded the medal. “This is something as a veteran you kind of look forward to, someone recognizing your service to the country.”
“US and Canadian veterans, they serve to fight for their country. When we serve, we serve because this is our land, and we’ll protect our land, regardless of what flag is flying over it. We’ll always bring our flag to the forefront, and we’ll help protect Turtle Island,” Deer said. “That’s what these veterans here do.”
Those awarded the medal also include Council chief Ryan Montour, Tracy Cross, who spent 17 years with the Canadian Armed Forces, and Peter “Pitt” Jacobs, a former Legion executive who spent five years with the Marine Corps.
“He’s our facilities manager, so he takes care of this building every day,” Deer said about Jacobs, saying he’s spent decades of his life dedicating himself to the Legion. “He was my first vice-president.”
Deer was the one that recommended he be nominated, after Miller reached out to him months prior for his input on which Legion members should be prioritized for the medal.
Also awarded was Derek Montour, executive director Kahnawake Shakotiia’takehnhas Community Services (KSCS). He served with the Royal Montreal Regiment for about a year-and-a-half before making the switch to the Marines in 1991, where he remained for the next decade.
“It’s an honour, and I think it brings great credit to the region and to the community,” Montour said.
Michael Rice, a Canadian Armed Forces veteran, also earned a medal, but unfortunately couldn’t make it to the ceremony.
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Some veterans declined to be nominated for the medal, Miller said, which wasn’t too surprising considering how much “Canada failed them” during the Siege of Kanehsatake.
“They had to make a very difficult decision, but it doesn’t mean that their service wasn’t appreciated or shouldn’t be recognized,” he said. “They’re part of a larger group, particularly residents of Kahnawake and Kanesatake, that are owed an apology by Canada for the events of the Oka Crisis.”
