Remembrance Day 2022- Battalion Park/Signal Hill

Please join the Ward 6 office and the King’s Own Calgary Regiment on Friday, November 11, 2022, at 10:45 AM for our annual Remembrance Day ceremony at Battalion Park. Battalion Park commemorates the soldiers who trained in Calgary for the trench warfare of World War I. Your attendance at this notable ceremony is appreciated as we participate together in a community moment of silence to reflect on the sacrifices made by the brave Canadian Armed Forces.

Remembering Indigenous Veterans

We are privileged to have the Daughter Marina Crane, Granddaughter Janelle Crane-Starlight and Great Granddaughter Jewel Crane-Starlight of the late Indigenous Veteran Leonard Ralph Crane join us for our ceremony. We will witness them lay the Indigenous Veteran wreath on behalf of Leonard Ralph Crane and all Indigenous Veterans.

REMEMBER THE LATE, LEONARD RALPH CRANE Regtl#M2783   ❤️

Born July 15, 1926, died December 5, 1978

Written by the oldest daughter Hapan, 'Marina Crane'. Kinyewakan ’Flying Holy’

My late father ran away from an Indian residential school in Edmonton. He was brought back to that school and his punishment for running away was being forced to stay in a cold attic to sleep where they kept the bodies of dead children.

Lest we forget  

#EveryChildMatters

Leonard Ralph Crane’s Service Record:

WWII started when my late father was 13 years old & he was 19 when it ended.

He enlisted at the age of 18, on September 27, 1944. During his year of enlistment one of his duties was to guard German WWII prisoners. Upon completion of basic training, on April 13, 1945, at the age of 18 in Orillia, Ontario, he waited for overseas deployment.  As he waited for deployment a few months after he turned 19, WWII ended September 2, 1945.

He served proudly from ages 18 to 19 years of age (September 27, 1944 to February 7, 1946).

After WWII, my dad, at the age of 22, married my mom Rose Dorothy Kinyewakan on January 17, 1949. Together they had 8 children.

My late dad took on Military Service after WWII with the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry at the Calgary Curry Barracks until about 1960. I remember him proudly wearing a Scottish kilt in Military Parades.

Despite my father serving in a Colonial war for a country who didn't allow his people to vote, or recognize him as an Indigenous man while serving in the military with a risk of losing his indigenous status the longer he served, he still took great pride in being able to represent Indigenous people.

Some Indigenous veterans lost their status if they lived away from their First Nations longer than four years. As Tsuut’ina leased lands to the Military my father’s status showed him living on a First Nation over four years.

Most Indigenous veterans like my late dad were not given a military pension, compensation for day school, nor compensation for Indian residential school.

Lest we forget these indigenous veterans who suffered traumatic events throughout their lives.

Remember and honour our Indigenous Veterans who fought to protect Kanata and proudly represent their communities despite the trauma they endured in their youth.

@Hapan Kinyewakan: Today - “De anpetu kin Akichitab hena wicayoni Han Pte do” ( quote from Red Wing - khupahu Duta)

‘Today we honor those Akicita’ 🙏🏽

“De anpetu kin Akichitab hena wicayoni Han Pte ye”

Today we honor those warriors 🙏🏽