First Nations Military History in Canada

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 5159018)

Private Patrick Joseph Augustine (Tjopatlig), Mi’kmaq traditional chief of the Big Cove Reserve, Big Cove, New Brunswick, serving with the 1st Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada, with the Canadian NATO Brigade, ca 1960.

The history of First Nations in the Maritime Provinces of Canada is a tapestry of competition, survival, and cooperation. The Mi’kmaq and Maliseet peoples, for instance, had complex interactions with the British, French, and Americans, often marked by rivalry and alliance. These nations fought in various conflicts, including the Seven Years’ War, the American Revolutionary War, and the War of 1812. Indigenous soldiers have served in the Canadian military since European settlers first arrived in what is now Canada, contributing to the military heritage of the country.