ALOY pictureOfficer Cadet Michael McPherson Stranks receives his
ALOY badge. (Photo: Erik St-Gelais)
Submitted by MNO citizen Jim Stranks.

On September 4, Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) citizen Jim Stranks felt a sense of pride as his son, Officer Cadet (OCdt) Michael McPherson Stranks, received his Aboriginal Leadership Opportunity Year (ALOY) badge.

OCdt Stranks was the only MNO citizen among the 14 candidates who had been chosen for the ALOY program at the Royal Military College (RMC) in Kingston. He and his father originate from the MNO Great Lakes Métis Council.

“It is a small program which draws from a very exclusive group of Canadians: Aboriginal youth who want to become the leaders and shapers of their generation, and who demonstrate the will to do so,” OCdt Stranks wrote in an article co-written with OCdt Pierrot. The article was published on e-Veritas, an e-newsletter published by the RMC Club.

“Each candidate is carefully selected to ensure that First Nations, Inuit, and Métis cultures are well represented and to promote Canada’s diverse cultural heritage and values,” he also wrote.

The ALOY badge is awarded to those who are officially members in training within the Canadian Armed Forces. In the article, the OCdts wrote that, “The Badging Ceremony served as a proud reminder to the ALOY members: how far they have come as a team from when they first arrived; how far the rest of this year will take them.”