This post is part of our Faces of Canada Today series. Over the coming months we will share some of the inspiring content that shapes our upcoming exhibition renewal. Faces of Canada Today was first unveiled when the museum opened in 2003. Twenty years later, the Juno Beach Centre is updating the space to reflect the modern Canada that our Second World War Veterans helped build.

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Concept design image for the poppy installation in Faces of Canada Today

Today is National Indigenous Veterans Day in Canada. It’s a day to recognize and acknowledge the many contributions and sacrifices of Indigenous Peoples not only to Canada’s war efforts but to its peacekeeping reputation.

In honour of this commemorative Day, the Juno Beach Centre is pleased to announce that its newest exhibition, Faces of Canada Today, will include a major art installation that features poppies crafted by three Métis, Inuit, and First Nations artists.

As visitors enter this newly renovated gallery space, they will see 3,000 floating poppies suspended against the backdrop of floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over Juno Beach.

In addition to the popular Royal Canadian Legion poppies that Canadians wear each year for Remembrance Day, the installation will also feature numerous beaded, sealskin, and birchbark and quill poppies from three Métis, Inuit, and First Nations artists respectively.

Learn more about the poppies and the incredible artists who made them below!

Inuk – Inuit, Northwest Territories

Inuk is a well-respected Inuvialuk from the Northwest Territories. As a Knowledge Keeper, educator, and advocate for sustainably harvested Arctic furs, Inuk is committed to speaking out on issues of domestic violence, mental health, bullying and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

“Lest we forget our Inuit and Indigenous veterans. My poppies are made for them and their families. I walk with one foot in the old world and one in the new, and understand that we cannot change our past, but with every step forward we can learn and grow better together.”

Crystal Gloade – Mi’kmaq, Nova Scotia

Crystal is a traditional birchbark artist who shares her knowledge through community workshops across Mi’kmaq country. Working with birch bark, sweetgrass, and quills, Crystal makes boxes, broaches, hair clips, pendants, artwork, and dolls.

“Known as the porcupine people, the Mi’kmaq specialize in intricate quillwork; an ancient art form. I am blessed and honoured to create these poppies using natural resources from the land: they are symbols of remembrance of all veterans and those who lost their lives in service.”

Marissa Magneson – Métis Nation of Ontario

For Marissa, beadwork is a gateway to storytelling and spirit. A powerful medium for artistic expression, her art is a connection to her ancestors, community, and culture.

“These poppies are symbols of gratitude and respect for those who sacrificed to protect our collective freedom. They were created especially to honour Indigenous women and 2SLGBTQ+ veterans, and those whose service led to the loss of their Indian Status. May their stories inspire us to build an equal and just future.”

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The Juno Beach Centre is proud to have partnered with First Peoples Group, a well-respected Indigenous advisory firm in Canada, on all exhibition materials relating to Indigenous Peoples in Faces of Canada Today.

Financing for these poppies, for the wider poppy art installation, and for other exhibit fabrication efforts was provided through the Commemoration Program of the Métis Veterans Legacy Program.

Learn more about Faces of Canada Today here.