February 16, 2017
(Ottawa, ON) – Assembly of First Nations’ National Chief, Perry Bellegarde today issued the following statement on the passing of Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Elder Jack Wynne, a Second World War veteran from Moose Cree First Nation and the last surviving veteran from Moose Factory, who passed away February 15:
“On behalf of the Assembly of First Nations, I want to express our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Elder Jack Wynne. He was an inspiring man who remained strong in his identity and always gave back to his community and his nation.
Our nations have lost another warrior but we will always remember his courage and his commitment. We all owe him a debt of gratitude for his bravery in defending our homelands. His memory will live on and he will continue to inspire all of us.”
Jack Wynne was accepted into the military at the age of 18 and served as a bombardier in the Royal Canadian Artillery, 1st Canadian Corps, before transferring into the infantry with the Royal Montreal Regiment and then the Irish Regiment of Canada. He was honorably discharged as a corporal in 1946. Wynne was chosen by his community to help unveil the official NAN Veteran’s Flag in 2009.
The AFN is the national organization representing First Nations citizens in Canada. Follow AFN on Twitter @AFN_Updates.
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For more information, please contact:
Alain Garon
Bilingual Communications Officer
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