As the sound of the bagpipes faded away and residents swarmed the cenotaph to lay their poppies on the memorial, two voices rang out above the beat of a drum.
Candice George and her cousin Adriana Louis were unable to be a part of the official Remembrance Day program but wanted to do their part to commemorate the involvement of Aboriginal members in the Canadian Forces.
Singing the Cariboo clan song, the two performed in honour of their great uncles - Fred George and Andrew George Sr. - who served in the Second World War. The brothers were just two of the more than 3,000 Aboriginals to serve in that war. More than 4,000 Aboriginal people served in the First World War, but the total number is unknown since Inuit, Metis and non-status Indian enlistment was not recorded.
During the war, Fred was an ammunition truck driver and a mechanic. He received the France and Germany Star and a medal for volunteering in the war. Andrew was a sapper with the Royal Canadian Engineers. He cleared land mines, installed bridges and helped with demolition. Members of the Lhtsumusyu - Fireweed - clan from Telkwa, both were 21 years old when they enlisted.
"They told them there were going to war to fight fascism, but they still faced fascism when they came home," said Louis.
George and Louis' elders were enfranchised, which means they had given up their Indian Status in order to have the ability to do things such as eat in restaurants or sleep at hotels. Federally, aboriginal people were not permitted to vote unless they gave up their status until 1960 and George said Fred did not receive a veterans' pension until he was in his 80s.
The first wreath was laid down for aboriginal veterans in 1992 and the National Aboriginal Veterans monument was unveiled in Ottawa in 2001.
Despite not being considered Canadian citizens, George said her great uncles were honoured, humbled and proud to fight for Canada and encouraged the younger members of their family to learn about their combat and remember those who had fallen.
"They wanted the kids to know what they went through and that you can work for anything and work towards peace," George said, adding that she has been in touch with ceremony organizers so that there can be a formal aboriginal recognition and presence at next year's service.
