Canadian Armed Forces Apology for Racial Discrimination and Racial Harassment: Sgt (Ret'd) Wendy Jocko
Video / April 16, 2026
Transcript
Capt (Navy) Kelly Williamson: Today’s program was built with intention and humility. It was informed by engagement with those directly affected and guided by subject matter experts who helped us to listen and learn. The speakers who follow bring lived experience and diverse perspectives that provide context and meaning to this day. Their words remind us that today’s apology is not the ending but another step in our collective journey towards understanding, healing and change.
It is now an honour to introduce our first speaker, Sergeant (Ret’d) Wendy Jocko. Wendy served in the Canadian Armed Forces for 23 years, including multiple overseas deployments. She later went on to serve her people as Chief of the Algonquins of the Pikwakanagan First Nation. She has been described as a soldier, a leader, a mentor and a voice of truth. Her life reminds us of the enduring strength of Indigenous peoples; strength expressed through their military service, in their resilience, and in their continued commitment to building a better Canada for all.
Please join me in welcoming Sergeant (Ret’d) Wendy Jocko.
Sgt (Ret’d) Wendy Jocko: Miigwetch for that introduction.
Mino giizhigad. It’s a good day. Dear friends, Elder Dumont, Governor General and Commander in Chief of Canada, Her Excellency, the right Honourable Mary Simon, Chief of Defence Staff General Carignan, Canadian Armed Forces Chief Warrant Officer McCann, Rear Admiral Olivier, distinguished members of the Canadian Armed Forces, honoured guests and fellow Canadians, it is with profound respect and deep humility that I join you for this historic and solemn occasion taking place here in unceded Algonquin territory.
Today, we gather not only as members and veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces, but as human beings committed to acknowledging past wrongs and charting a path towards healing. I extend my sincere appreciation to the Chief of Defence Staff, the CAF Chief Warrant Officer and the Chief of Professional Conduct and Culture for their leadership in bringing us to this moment. Your presence demonstrates the commitment of the highest levels of our military to confront difficult truths and work toward meaningful change.
To all who have travelled from near and far to bear witness to this apology, particularly the veterans and serving members from the Indigenous, Black, Asian and broader Canadian communities whose experiences we honour today, thank you for your courage in being here. Some of you carry deep wounds from your service, not just from the expected hardships of military life, but from the added burden of systemic racism within an institution you chose to serve with honour. This gathering represents a pivotal moment in our collective journey; one that acknowledges pain while also embracing possibility.
As we move through today’s ceremony, I ask that we all listen with open hearts, reflect with honest minds, and commit to the ongoing work of reconciliation that will continue long after we leave this space. I stand before you as many things. I am the daughter of parents who both served in World War II with distinction, the granddaughter of those who fought in World War I, and the great-granddaughter of Algonquin Grand Chief Constant Pinesi, who fought alongside the British in the War of 1812, and the mother of a son who served our country with the First Royal Canadian Regiment, who was sadly laid to rest on the 8th of November 2023. This legacy runs deep in my blood and connects me to the generations of Indigenous peoples who have stood in defence of these lands long before they were called Canada.
I am a veteran who wore the uniform of the Canadian Armed Forces with pride for 23 years, a former chief of the Algonquins at Pikwakanagan First Nation, a daughter of this land and a witness to both its painful history and its potential for healing. Today is not the day to detail my own experiences with racism and discrimination within the Canadian Armed Forces. Those are stories for another time and place. Somehow, through personal resilience and the strength of my ancestors, I have found ways to cope with life’s challenges, including those faced during my 23 years of service.
Today is not about my individual journey, but about our collective responsibility to acknowledge systemic issues and commit to meaningful change. What I can say is that during my NATO peacekeeping missions in Bosnia and Croatia, I witnessed the devastating consequences when hatred and divisions are allowed to fester unchecked. I saw communities torn apart by ethnic tensions, and I worked alongside vulnerable civilians who paid the ultimate price for institutional failures to address discrimination. What struck me then and what strikes me now is how silence becomes complicity. When we fail to acknowledge racism, when we minimize its impact, when we refuse to make structural changes, we become participants in its perpetuation.
Every time a racialized CAF member has been told to toughen up, or that they’re being too sensitive, we have failed them. Every time someone has had to work twice as hard to receive half the recognition, we have failed them. Every time someone felt unsafe to report discrimination for fear of retaliation, we have failed them. Today marks a solemn yet necessary moment in our shared journey. An apology is not merely words; it is an acknowledgement of truth. For generations, Indigenous peoples who step forward to serve Canada face not only the dangers of military service, but also the wounds inflicted by systemic racism within the very institution they chose to serve.
Some wore the uniforms while being denied the right to vote in the country they defended. Others returned home from overseas conflicts to find their children taken to residential schools. Many endured daily indignities, slurs whispered in mess halls, promotions denied, cultural practices forbidden and identities erased. For Indigenous women who served, the burden was often doubled, facing discrimination both on gender and heritage. For two-spirited and LGBTQ+ Indigenous members, it was tripled. These intersecting identifies created unique experiences of marginalization that must be specifically acknowledged and addressed. Each story carries the weight of generations, of grandparents who were forbidden their language, of parents who hid their culture, of children who sought belonging in an institution that often failed to recognize their full humanity.
An apology, while necessary, is only the beginning. Today, we do not seek empty promises or hollow gestures. We seek transformative, deep, lasting and meaningful change that addresses the systems that have perpetuated harm. True reconciliation requires more than acknowledgement of past wrongs. It demands concrete action, representation at all levels of leadership, culturally safe spaces within military spaces, policy that respects Indigenous knowledge and traditions, and accountability mechanisms that ensure that these changes endure. Despite these challenges, Indigenous peoples have served with distinction and honour. From the World Wars to Korea, from peacekeeping missions to modern conflicts, our warriors carried forward ancient traditions of courage, sacrifice, and protection.
We honour all those who walked before us, those who served while carrying the additional burden of racism. Their resilience opened doors that were once firmly closed. Their sacrifice demands that those doors never close again. The path ahead must be walked together with humility, with courage and with unwavering commitment to justice. It requires not only the leadership of those in command, but the daily actions of every person who wears the uniform. True healing cannot be achieved through a single ceremony or proclamation. It is built through sustained effort, through challenging conversations, through policies that reflect the diversity of this land, and through a military culture that embraces the strength that comes from difference.
I speak today for those who cannot be here, for the elders who served but did not live to see this day, for those whose spirits were broken by the dual weight of service and discrimination, and for future generations who deserve to serve a military that honours all parts of their identity. Systemic racism is not about individual intent; it’s about collective impact. It’s embedded in policies, procedures and cultural norms that appear neutral but produce discriminatory outcomes. To address it requires more than good will; it requires concrete action. As a descendant of an Algonquin warrior who fought for the Crown in the War of 1812, and with family members who served in both World Wars and the modern CAF, I understand deeply the complexity of serving a nation that has not always recognized your humanity.
The Indigenous experience in the Canadian military mirrors that of racialized groups: one of service despite marginalization, of loyalty despite exclusion. This apology must mark the beginning of a transformative change. The CAF must move beyond diversity targets to create environments where equity and inclusion can flourish. This means examining recruitment practices, promotion criteria, leadership development and accountability mechanisms through an antiracist lens. Trust once broken is not easily restored; it requires not just words of contrition, but sustained action and transparency.
The journey towards an antiracist CAF must include regular independent assessments of progress towards eliminating systemic barriers, meaningful consequences for racist behaviour at all levels of the organization, genuine opportunities for advancement for racialized members, trauma-informed support systems that acknowledge the unique harm caused by racial discrimination, education that goes beyond superficial cultural awareness to address power, privilege and systemic change. Most importantly, it requires listening, truly listening to those who have experienced racism within the ranks. Their voices must be this transformation.
In my role as Chief of Pikwakanagan, I worked to build bridges between Indigenous communities and the Armed Forces. I’ve seen what is possible when institutions genuinely commit to reconciliation and antiracism. I’ve witnessed the strength that comes from embracing diversity – not a box to check, but as a strategic advantage. Today’s apology acknowledges a painful past and present, but it must also herald a different future, one where the CAF stands as a model of inclusion and equity for all Canadians, one where no member must choose between their cultural identity and their military career, one where the values we claim to defend abroad are fully recognized within our own ranks.
The path forward requires courage; the courage to acknowledge uncomfortable truths, to challenge longstanding norms and to hold ourselves and each other accountable. It requires the same valour we expect on the battlefield, now directed toward the equally important fight for justice and dignity within our own institution. As we reflect on this apology, let us remember that its value lies not in the words spoken today, but in the actions that follow. Let us commit to creating an Armed Forces where every member can serve with dignity, where diversity is recognized as a source of strength, and where racism in all its forms is confronted with the same resolve with which we face any other threat to our national security and values.
The CAF’s commitment to move forward in an antiracist way is not separate from its military mission; it is essential to it, as a force that upholds justice and equality within its ranks will be stronger in defending those values around the world. To the current and former CAF members who have experienced racism, your service mattered, your pain is acknowledged, and your courage in speaking truth to power has made this moment of reckoning possible. This apology belongs to you. May this apology mark not an end but a beginning, a commitment to create a Canadian Armed Forces where Indigenous members may serve with both the pride of their nations and the full respect of the institution they have chosen to serve.
As we conclude today’s ceremony, let us carry forward the spirit of truth and reconciliation that has brought us together. In the Anishinaabe tradition, we understand that healing comes not from a single moment, but through an ongoing journey of acknowledgement, understanding and renewal. Let us leave this place carrying both the weight of truth and the lightness of possibility. May we honour the courage of those who have shared their stories by ensuring their experiences lead to lasting change. May we recognize that the medicine wheel teaches us balance, that acknowledging pain is necessary before we can move toward healing. Remember that we are all connected, like strands in a sweetgrass braid gaining strength from being woven together.
The path forward must be walked together, with each step guided by the seven grandfather teachings of wisdom, love, respect, bravery, honesty, humility, and truth. I offer my heartfelt gratitude to all who have participated in this sacred work today. May the Creator guide us as we continue this journey together. May the spirits of our ancestors who served be honoured by our commitment to create a military where all can serve with dignity and respect.
To all my relations, I'iw nama'a wi nan, maaba nesemaa, minwaa n'ode'winaanin gida-bugidinimaagom. We offer our prayers, tobacco, and our hearts. Daga bih-wiidokawishnaang wii mino pimaadizeyaang. Please help us deliver good light.
Capt (Navy) Kelly Williamson: Thank you, Wendy, for your leadership, your service and your steadfast commitment towards truth.
| Preview | Video |
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Canadian Armed Forces Apology for Racial Discrimination and Racial Harassment: Opening Remarks and Territorial Welcome |
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Canadian Armed Forces Apology for Racial Discrimination and Racial Harassment: Sgt (Ret'd) Wendy Jocko |
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Canadian Armed Forces Apology for Racial Discrimination and Racial Harassment: Capt (Ret’d) Kevin Junor |
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Canadian Armed Forces Apology for Racial Discrimination and Racial Harassment: LCdr (Ret’d) Albert Wong |
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Canadian Armed Forces Apology for Racial Discrimination and Racial Harassment: The Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean |
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Canadian Armed Forces Apology for Racial Discrimination and Racial Harassment: Delivery of the National Apology |
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Canadian Armed Forces Apology for Racial Discrimination and Racial Harassment: Closing Remarks |