Throughout history, Aboriginal people have been misunderstood and mistreated, despite their contributions to the country. There were many Native people who gave their lives during the First World War and numerous Native communities who did everything they could to help the war effort in Canada. Aboriginal people contributed in many ways to serving their country during the First World War. At the beginning of the First World War, the Canadian government was hesitant about the presence of Aboriginal people in the army. When war broke out in 1914, the recruitment of “Status Indians” was prohibited, as they were often linked to torture and scalping. Some indigenous people enlisted despite the law, because of their commitment to their land. It was not until 1916 that the government allowed the active recruitment of Indians with Indian status status due to Robert Borden's efforts to replace the growing number of casualties on the front lines. However active Aboriginal recruitment was an effort to encourage men to join, not force them. However, in 1917, the Canadian government chose to impose conscription or compulsory military service. Native communities reacted very quickly to this news, writing letters to the government pointing out that Aboriginal people did not yet have citizenship rights and should therefore be exempt from conscription. Finally, in January 1918, the government passed a council ordinance absolving Aboriginal people from compulsory conscription. At the start of the Great War, Aboriginal people were not accepted by the Canadian government for military service, but Canadian leaders soon realized that Native men would be a great addition to the service. Despite the controversy with conscription, Aboriginal people contributed an unexpectedly large number of men who fought for Canada during the World Cup. Many natives enlisted anyway, showing their support for their nation. The contributions of Aboriginal people were beyond the expectations of anyone in Canada. The natives were exceptional snipers and scouts and were honored as some of the bravest soldiers in the army. Even in the face of obvious mistreatment, Aboriginal people continued to take pride in their country and re-enlisted when the time came. Aboriginal people contributed in many ways to serving their country during the First World War. Works Cited Whitney Lackenbauer, P., John Moses, R. Scott Sheffield, and Maxime Gohier. Aboriginal people in the Canadian army. Np: np, 2010. 118-55. Network. February 24. 2014. .