Member Statement (1 November 2023)

From Hansard (1 November 2023)

 

Bold Eagle Program Teaches Youth Military Skills

Mr. Keisig: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On August 10th this summer I had the privilege of attending the graduation ceremony for 49 young people from the Bold Eagle program. The Bold Eagle program is a six-week intensive military training program centred around military skills with a strong First Nation and Métis element attached to everything they learn.

The program was started in 1989 with the collaboration of now retired general, Cliff Walker; Roland Crowe, chief of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations; Assistant Commissioner Cortland MacDonald of the RCMP; and George Gordon First Nation.

The first class involved the North Saskatchewan Regiment, FSIN [Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations], and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Fifteen people graduated from the course, and since then, over 2,000 First Nation and Métis youth have graduated from the Bold Eagle program. The skills learned from this intensive military training program, along with culturally important knowledge, will serve these young people well through the rest of their lives. Many have pursued successful careers in the Canadian Armed Forces. Well over a dozen have entered RCMP, and all of them have contributed meaningfully to their home communities.

Thank you to the Canadian military for providing 34 consecutive years of training, and thank you to the founding members for being such an active partner in advocating for all First Nations youth. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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