Chief Roger Augustine Appointed to the MNCTP Board of Honorary Governors - July 5, 2017

July 5, 2017 Ottawa-MNCTP

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Chief Roger Augustine Appointed to the MNCTP Board of Honorary Governors

Today – Mr. Stéphane Ouellette, President and Chief Executive Officer, Merchant Navy Commemorative Theme Project (MNCTP), appointed Chief Roger Augustine, Assembly of First Nations (AFN), Chief NB/PEI, to the Board of Honorary Governors of the MNCTP.

Chief Roger Augustine rose to prominence as Chief and Peace–Maker during New Brunswick's ‘War in the Woods', the fishery dispute at Burnt Church, and the implementation of the Supreme Court of Canada's Marshall decisions. During this time, Chief Augustine established the Center for Indigenous Environmental Resources (CIER). Chief Augustine also co–chaired the Miramichi Bay Community Relations Panel, and served as a Commissioner on the Specific Claims Commission.

In 2016, Mr. Ouellette appointed Mr. Douglas Cardinal, President, Douglas Cardinal Architect Inc., and Mr. Claude Aubin, Senator, Métis Nation Québec, to the Board of Honorary Governors.

Quotes

“Our Aboriginal Veterans, along with our Allied Merchant Navy and American Merchant Marine, are some of the most marginalized Veterans in the military history of the world.

Along with other Honorary Governors, Chief Augustine’s main role will be to ensure that the wartime stories of our Aboriginal Veterans, from time immemorial, are told alongside their military and civilian counterparts.”

– Mr. Stéphane Ouellette, President and CEO, MNCTP

“It is vital that we acknowledge the important contributions of our predominantly forgotten Aboriginal Veterans of WWI, WWII, and the Korean conflict that have suffered a similar fate to that of our Merchant Mariners. It is a moral and civic imperative that we do not leave any veteran groups behind.”

Mr. Douglas Cardinal, President, Douglas Cardinal Architect Inc.

Quick Facts

  • More than 7,000 Indigenous Peoples made important contributions to WWI, WWII, and to the Korean conflict.
  • Most Indigenous veterans who served in the three wars did service in the infantry – the ground troops. A number of Indigenous soldiers became snipers or reconnaissance scouts. They used their traditional hunting and military skills to carry out dangerous tasks.
  • National Aboriginal Day is celebrated each year on June 21, while Aboriginal Veterans Day is commemorated on November 8.

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