First Nations veterans gathered Sunday in Winnipeg for an event that honoured their service and sacrifice, while also calling on the Canadian Armed Forces to continue taking steps towards reconciliation.

The Southern Chiefs’ Organization (SCO) hosted the third annual First Nations Veterans Summit with this year’s theme being “look how far we’ve come.”

Justin Woodcock, a veteran and project manager for SCO, said the theme represents changes he and many others have seen since they first began serving in the military, when it comes to the treatment of First Nations soldiers and veterans.

First Nations soldiers today feel a lot more comfortable embracing and sharing their culture and identity than when he first joined the armed forces back in 2009, he said.

“It really warms my heart, it’s

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