WEBVTT

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Even though Canada hasn't had
the greatest reputation

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and relationship
with First Nations,

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I still feel
that it's my responsibility,

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because it's my homeland,

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to serve it at the utmost
respect and honour.

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People often ask me,

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do you think there's really
a need for the ILOY program?

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But then those people are
probably disconnected

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from the reality
of what it's like

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in an Indigenous community.

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So, I think the ILOY program
is a great trial year

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to see what the military
could be like.

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♪

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I wanted to try
the military and I was like,

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well, this is like
an introduction year.

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So, if I want to try
the military,

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this is probably
the best way to do it.

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It's a big step to take

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and it is a great opportunity.

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And if you have that calling
inside saying you want to go,

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like do something
a bit different or big,

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then this is
a good chance to do it.

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Like, you come
and you travel around,

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you meet all kinds
of different walks of life.

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It's just an opportunity
to get out and see

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what you can do.

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And that's what
I really love about ILOY.

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It gives them an insight

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to what they're capable
of and what they can do.

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And that can do attitude can
take people a lot of places,

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whether it's in the military
or on the civilian side.

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The major incentive,
to come here

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and not pay for education,
that was huge for myself.

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ILOY is an Indigenous
Leadership Opportunity Year,

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and opportunity should be
highlighted more

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because it's nothing
but opportunity.

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♪

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One of the things that I see
for candidates coming in,

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a lot of them don't really know
what RMC is.

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So, you're kind of coming
in blind a lot of the time.

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And a big thing that kind
of takes people out off the bat

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is the culture shock.

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♪

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It's the switching of the gears
from what they're used to.

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So, that is the biggest
challenge, waking up early,

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you know, doing physical
training, going to class,

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doing military training,

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and then having just
your hours dictated to you.

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It was very overwhelming.

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The first few weeks
within RMC during ILOY,

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we call it orientation period.

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It's a military training.

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So, it's very scheduled.

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From 0530 to 1100 at night,

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their day is busy.

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♪

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I think the first thing
that went through my mind,

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and my peers' mind was, well,
what did I get myself into?

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But after a little while,

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as I started to catch on
to our daily program

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and the disciplines of RMC,

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then I felt
that I was in good hands.

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I had faith in my leaders.

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I relayed to them right away

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that they have an opportunity

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and they have the potential

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to be an officer
in the Canadian Armed Forces.

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And that potential piece
comes from them,

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but it's also there on me
to get it from them,

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to get their potential.

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Go!

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♪

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Education at RMC is a lot
of time management.

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It's the ability to learn
every single day.

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♪

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So, we had tutors
throughout the whole year.

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So, if we were struggling
with our classes,

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like we had math,
chemistry, English,

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they could help us with that.

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RMC's academics, in regards

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to our professors,
our mentors, our tutors

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and our peers, are some
of the best in our nation.

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♪

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I spent a lot of time in the gym

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because our gym facilities
are excellent.

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Like, probably the best gym
I've ever been to.

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♪

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As these opportunities,

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chances to travel, chances
to experience new things,

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and take challenges
to a new level,

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that encouraged
more participation.

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♪

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I really like
the cultural aspect.

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I got to learn about
smudging and sweat lodges.

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The elders, they offer
a lot of teachings.

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Teach the students
how to smudge,

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we conduct ceremonies
like sweats, we go to Pow Wows.

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And recently, we just finished
making our hand drums

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and we're going to do
a birthing ceremony.

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♪

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What really drew me
to ILOY, initially,

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was the one year contract.
It seemed like a good deal

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because I wasn't sure how far
I wanted to go with it

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and jumping straight
into, say, ROTP,

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was a really big commitment
at the time.

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It's a free year.

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There's nothing,
there's no obligations.

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You don't owe anybody anything.
You're doing this for you.

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Who knows what ILOY
is supposed to be?

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Each year is unique to itself.

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These programs are,

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even though
they're not perfect right now

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and you know, they're always
being worked on,

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they're improving,

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they're always an open door
for people to come by.

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Year by year, brick by brick,

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it'll become
what it's supposed to be.

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I say just try it out.

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Try the ILOY program,

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because we get
so many opportunities here.

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I've woken up many
mornings and thought,

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how much can I achieve today?

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Don't let your days
at RMC go by fast.

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Don't let your days
at ILOY go by fast,

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because
they're some of the best.

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♪