Ralph Earl Scofield

Ralph Earl Scofield is a distinguished Métis veteran who served in the Second World War with the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). He is the recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (2002) and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012), which are awarded to Canadians who have made significant contributions to their local community and/or to Canadian society.

Scofield was born on February 26, 1925 in Margo, Saskatchewan. He became a Windsorite in 1950 when he moved to the city to take a job at General Motors. He worked at GM for

Ralph Earl Scofield

Photograph by Sam Meddaka (Media Now Group) from http://windsorhs.blogspot.com

five years, after which he decided to take an electronics training course in Detroit. His new skills landed him a job at the Chrysler factory where he worked as an electrician until his retirement 28 years later.  In his retirement, Scofield became a very active member in local community organizations, including the Windsor Historical Society, the Air Force Club, and the Can-Am Indian Friendship Centre. Scofield’s greatest concerns were the ongoing disputes over Indigenous land in Canada, as well as the lack of recognition of Indigenous veterans in the Canadian armed forces. He raised these concerns not only at the local level, but also through participation in several national assemblies including the National Aboriginal Veterans Association (NAVA), the National Aboriginal Health Organization, and the New Democratic Party Aboriginal Commission. At the provincial level, Scofield became a senator in the Métis Nation Council of Ontario in 1997, representing the counties of Windsor- Essex and Kent. For his many contributions to the local community and to the Métis people of Canada, Scofield was awarded the Golden and Diamond Jubilee medals from Queen Elizabeth II, as mentioned above.

In addition to these achievements, Scofield is known for his exceptional service during the Second World War where he volunteered first with the Algonquin Regiment Militia, and then the RCAF.  Scofield fought gallantly on Halifax bomber squadrons while overseas in Germany, France, and England.

Scofield passed away at the age of 87 on November 2, 2012.

Sources:

Anderson, Camelia. “Remembering Earl Scofield.” Veterans Memories Project – Windsor Historical Society (February 11, 2015).

Lord, Linda. “Remembering a Much Beloved Métis Veteran.” Métis Nation of Ontario (2012).

Ralph Scofield.” Veterans Memory Project (n.d.).

Veteran Stories: Ralph Earl “Earl” Scofield.” The Memory Project (n.d.).

Wilhelm, Trevor. “Peaceful natives support protest.” Windsor Star (June 30, 2007), A5. (no link available).