Louis Emile

Louis Emile was born on the 26^th of April 1900. His father was Frank Emile and his mother Nancy. He knew very little about his mother and could not recall when she died. He did not know what sort of work his father did but thought that his father was chief when he was young. He had few memories of his father as he died young. Louis had 6 sisters and 1 brother, Grant Emile. His sister Eliza is still alive and 80 years old at the time of this interview. She married twice but it is not clear to whom. Her first husband (Tommy Alex) was killed by a fall from a horse.

Louis Emile did not go to school nor did he work very much other than haying on the reservation although later in the interview he remembers working on the irrigation ditch for the reserve. He drove a team of horses. He knows nothing of “company work” on the reserve but remembers that there was a sawmill but does not know who ran it. He remembers that he worked in the mill moving big logs. “I was strong in them days.” He does not know what he was paid but thinks “not much.”

He did a little trapping with Peter Christopher – “beaver and what you call them.” There were no cabins on the trap line so they stayed in lean toos. He did a little hunting but never guided.

Louis enjoyed playing hockey and remembers playing with Percy Ogden. He does not, however, recall very much about where he played other than not around 100 Mile House. He thinks that they may have played in Lac La Hache. At this point in the interview he stated quite categorically that, “I don’t think I know very much.”

He did go to war and remembers that Peter Christopher also went. Given his birth year he would have been too old to have served in World War II so it must have been World War I. He was overseas for two years but has no idea where he went. He was wounded in the left arm and he also hurt his leg badly enough that he cannot walk very well. He mentions that he received no compensation for his wounds.

The reserve was little changed when he came back from the war aside from a few more log houses. He mentions dirt floors in the houses but is not clear about when. He married but it was a long time ago and he cannot remember when. He does not know when his wife was born.

The following remarks were written by Millie May (another daughter?) November 11, 2005

Honouring a Canim Lake Veteran by Millie May

November 11, 2005

To a father I did not know. A father I grew up without. Knew him a short while. A man who gave me my native country, Canada. He sacrificed his youth to be sent to fight a war, a white man’s war. Overseas, fought with soldiers from Canim Lake. They are Morris Dixon, Edward Dixon Sr., Sam Archie, Paul Theodore and Peter Christopher, Henry Bob, Julian Boyce, and my dad Louie Emile. He was only 14 years old. He fought World War 1 and World War II. Louie died at age 86. After all this, Louie did not have the privilege of his war veterans pension. All his papers, dog tags and medals burned in a house fire. He was moved from crown land back to the reservation. Sold all his cattle, to bail out a man that was charged with murder. He died not seeing a dime from either. Today, a cabin still sits on that piece of land my dad and brother built. It would be good to know that the government did acknowledge him as a war vet. A medal, or a certificate stating he served in these two wars. Like many soldiers, today wanting pensions before they pass away. Why is our government selling our resources to American Teresan Gas, our water rights? Hopefully not. Taking away thousands of jobs, low wages.