Ceremony pays tribute to Indigenous war hero Sgt. Tommy Prince

A ceremony over the weekend honoured Sgt. Tommy Prince on what would have been his 110th birthday.

The legacy of one of the most-decorated Indigenous war veterans in Canadian history was celebrated in Manitoba on Saturday afternoon—on what would’ve been his 110th birthday.

Community members and dignitaries gathered in the Memorial Hall in Petersfield, Man., to honour Sgt. Tommy Prince, a First Nations war hero born in the community on Oct. 25, 1915, located about 45 kilometers north of Winnipeg.

Prince and his family would later move to Brokenhead Ojibway Nation when he was a child and was forced to leave his community to attend Elkhorn Residential School.

In 1940, he enlisted in the Canadian Army and was assigned with the Royal Canadian Engineers. Prince later served the First Special Service Force—a joint Canada-U.S. specialized reconnaissance and raiding unit.

He would be awarded 11 medals for his service in the Second World War and the Korean War, including the Military Medal and the Silver Star.

“He was always happy-go-lucky. (A) hard worker, thought of his family first, and whatever had to be dealt with had to be dealt with later,” said Tommy Prince Jr., describing his father at the ceremony.

“He would give you the shirt off his back if he had to. If you needed a dollar, and if he had a dollar, he would give it to you … Always wanting to help people.”

Following the Second World War, Prince served with the Manitoba Indian Association and advocated for the Indian Act to be abolished, as well as for the government to respect Treaty rights.

Chief Gordon Bluesky of Brokenhead Ojibway Nation said after Prince returned from combat, he faced discrimination and hardship, “a reminder of the challenges our people had endured despite their service and sacrifice.”

“His story reminds us that courage isn’t only found on the battlefield,” Bluesky said. “It’s also found in how we carry ourselves the face of injustice, how we stand for what’s right, and … how we lift others up.”

Though Prince died in 1977, nearly a dozen of his family members were in attendance at the ceremony which included speeches from the municipal, provincial and federal government officials.

David Pankratz, Manitoba’s Special Envoy for Military Affairs, told the crowd he is trying to pass a bill to formally recognize Nov. 8 as Indigenous Veterans Day in Manitoba—which mentions Prince by name. He said a resolution was passed in the Manitoba legislature in 1993 to recognize the day, but that it has not been put into law in the province.

“This bill has now passed through the committee stage. We have one more step to go… and I’m hoping that it will become a law in Manitoba before November 8 of this year,” he said.

A letter signed by Prime Minister Mark Carney was also read at the ceremony, describing Prince as a strong advocate for Indigenous rights.

“He is rightfully recognized as one of the persons of national historic significance in Canada. He was a great hero in so many ways, in his moral spirit, in combat, in his advocacy and in the significant impact he made in the lives of others,” reads the letter in part.

Prince has since been honoured with monuments and multiple buildings bearing his name across the province. A stamp was also unveiled by Canada Post in 2022 to remember his life and achievements.

For Petersfield residents like Holly Whall, she said the community is “so proud” of its connection to the military hero.

“He was an amazing man, and we need to celebrate him and his family and what he did for this country.”