Honouring All Who Served
Recognizing National Indigenous Veterans Day on November 8 and standing together for Remembrance Day on November 11.
In honour of Remembrance Day, all AFCC offices, hubs, and program locations will be closed on Wednesday, November 11. Regular community hours and services resume on Thursday, November 12.
At every Powwow, before a single dancer enters the arbour, everyone rises and hats come off. Our veterans carry the Eagle Staff and flags in first. In our communities, veterans have never just been distant names in textbooks—they are our grandparents, parents, aunties, uncles, and cousins who brought us here.
Across Treaty 7—the Siksika, Kainai, Piikani, Tsuut’ina, Îyârhe Nakoda, and the Otipemisiwak Métis Government—almost every home has a framed photo on the wall, medals kept in a cedar box, or kitchen-table stories of relatives who served. They fought to protect this land and our people, carried quiet wounds home, and stood strong to preserve our ceremonies and rights for future generations.
Wherever you find yourself on Wednesday, November 11 at 11:00 AM, we invite you to pause for two quiet minutes of smudge and reflection.
• Light a smudge if you have medicines, or take quiet breaths of gratitude.
• Speak their names out loud so our youth continue to know who stood for them.
• Hold space for living veterans, Elders, and the families who kept the home fires burning.
🪶 November 8: National Indigenous Veterans Day [Open / Close ↓]
First established in 1994, National Indigenous Veterans Day (November 8) was created to honour the over 12,000 First Nations, Métis, and Inuit soldiers who volunteered in WWI, WWII, Korea, and modern peacekeeping missions.
Indigenous soldiers served as invaluable scouts, sharpshooters, and code talkers who transmitted vital intelligence in their traditional mother tongues. Despite their heroic service, many returned home without the veterans’ pensions, land grants, or civil rights given to their peers. Honouring them on November 8 ensures their truth, courage, and resilience are never forgotten.
🥀 November 11: Remembrance Day — Standing With All Who Served [Open / Close ↓]
On Remembrance Day, we expand our circle to honour all veterans, peacekeepers, and fallen comrades who stood in uniform. We remember the immense cost of war paid by ordinary people who gave everything for the peace of others.
Whether you wear a hand-beaded poppy crafted by an Indigenous artisan or a traditional red poppy, wear it with reverence and pride for those who made our tomorrow possible.
📞 24/7 Community Helplines & Support [Open / Close ↓]
Days of remembrance can carry heavy emotions for veterans, Elders, and families. If you or someone you love needs to talk while our doors are closed:
• Hope for Wellness Helpline (Indigenous): 1-855-242-3310 (Toll-free 24/7, phone or online chat at hopeforwellness.ca)
• Suicide Crisis Helpline: Call or text 9-8-8 (Toll-free, 24/7)
• Distress Centre Calgary: (403) 266-HELP (4357)
To our veterans, Elders, active service members, and families: thank you for your courage, your sacrifice, and your continuing guidance.