As the country observes its first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Caleigh Wong explores the history between Canada’s Armed Forces and its Indigenous peoples. From Oka to the Proud Boys, repeated disappointments in the Forces’ commitment to protect all Canadians demands greater efforts for reconciliation in the military and across all federal institutions.
Intersectionality and lived experience, though standard concepts within many policy areas, has been largely absent from military diversity and inclusivity initiatives. In this article, Caleigh Wong explores the Canadian Armed Forces’ current leadership crisis through this lens to understand how a broader understanding of identity may help inform long-overdue institutional reform.