An Eagle Staff was presented to the Canadian Armed
Forces on Aug. 10 at CFB Borden. Pictured are Doug
Woods, MNO Veterans’ Council Sgt.-At-Arms, CFB
Borden Master Corporal Talbot and Ken (Two Dogs)
Fraser, MNO Georgian Bay Métis Council Senator. Click
here to view a larger version of this picture.
Submitted by Doug Woods, MNO Veterans’ Council Sgt.-At-Arms, With information from the Borden Citizen
The Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) was well represented during an Eagle Staff Ceremony at Canadian Forces Base Borden.
On Aug. 10, MNO Veterans’ Council Sgt.-At-Arms Doug Woods and MNO Georgian Bay Métis Council Senator Ken (Two Dogs) Fraser were among the guests who attended the ceremony.
The staff was created by members of the local Indigenous community and 3 Canadian Ranger Patrol Group. It features feathers and patches collected from several Indigenous communities and councils throughout Ontario and the MNO patch is located third from the top.
The Eagle Staff, which took two years to make, was presented by Master Corporal Talbot to Base Commander Col. Andrew Atherton. It recognizes past and present Indigenous members of the Canadian Armed Forces.
“This staff symbolizes bravery, integrity, strength of character and honour,” Atherton commented, according to the Borden Citizen. “The Eagle Staff will help to ensure that the sacrifices of Indigenous soldiers who lived and trained here at CFB Borden over the past 100 years will never be forgotten, and will represent the rich history, and promising future of CFB Borden’s Indigenous Peoples.”
At the end of the ceremony, the Eagle Staff was the handed over to the Base Commander, a symbolic moment to which he stated, “It is with a great sense of respect, pride and duty that I make this solemn oath that I will uphold the tradition of this sacred symbol, and look upon it always with strong mind and a positive spirit.”
Posted: Sept. 26, 2018