November 8th is National Aboriginal Veterans Day.

Today marks the 25th time Canadians have recognized the day as such. It began in Winnipeg.

A ceremony was held today at Winnipeg's Neeginan Centre this morning, put on by the students.

Reanna Marinko was one of the emcees for the ceremony. She says she wanted to get more involved in the school, and she wanted to get to know the veterans there with her.

"I just felt like I wanted to get to know them more because of what they've done for us. You know, if it wasn't for them, then we actually probably wouldn't even be here right now."

Marinko says she felt honoured to be emcee, and wanted to show her respect to veterans.

A joint statement from Canada's Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence Seamus O’Regan, the Minister of National Defence Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Carolyn Bennett, and Minister of Indigenous Services Jane Philpott says, by some estimates, more than 12,000 Canadian First Nations, Inuit and Métis people served during the First and Second World Wars and the Korean War.

aboriginalveteransday 2
aboriginalveteransday 3