To Dominion Command

After several attempts I finally managed to send the attached email, at least three Dominion email addresses failed? Now its just a matter of waiting to see if anyone responses?

Fw: Legion Medals?

Yesterday, 3:44 PM
asiew@legion.ca

I’m sure this is not the correct destination for this email so hoping you will forward.

From: Frederick Ben Rodgers
Sent: September 20, 2018 3:34 PM
To: Royal Canadian Legion
Subject: Fw: Legion Medals?

Trying again with another address. not easy to communicate with Dominion Command

The Fake Legion Medals
Posted on September 20, 2018 by irishroverpei

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In the last few years I have attempted several times to communicate with those who run the RCL. In almost every case I have been ignored. sometimes have received an occasionally response that is offensive and rude. However, here I’m trying once more, not sure why, perhaps this time as we actually have a veteran as the National President. The Legion (Dominion Command) are constantly claiming to be working on the issue of membership, claiming they are here for veterans. Strangely a great many veterans would disagree with this claim, and a great many veterans have left and or not joining. To date nothing Dominion Command has tried has stemmed the serious falling membership. Such things as free one year memberships for serving members, inviting civilians with no military connections, in fact inviting almost anyone to join. I don’t know what you think? but to me this seems like desperation. Don’t you think its time you tried something many veterans have been asking for, for sometime. If you take the time to read my letter below, perhaps you give a thought to actually doing something that might just make a difference. Try to imagine a veteran wearing only his CD standing next to Tom Eagles wearing approximately 13 mostly legion (fake) medals. Why do you continue to support section 419 of the criminal code disallowing blood relatives, but permitting associate members to wear their right breast many legion medals. Surely its time to act in a positive way and listen to veterans, not the civilian associates. If you truly want to save what’s left of this once proud organization you need to act now. Do something that will resonate with us many dissatisfied veterans.

The Legion and Medals
Posted on February 15, 2017
by irishroverpei
This is the email I sent to the Governor General’s office on February 15th 2017. I received a phone call from a very nice lady (staff secretary) acknowledging my email. Below is a copy of the email I sent and her response.
Real Medals & pretend medals
I’m greatly concerned with the present Royal Canadian Legion policy regarding medals. While it is quite acceptable for non veteran legion members to wear an array of legion service medals on their right breast in legion uniform. It is against the law for an eighty year old widow to wear her late husbands war medals of her right breast on suitable occasions. (see section 419 of Criminal Code) The important issue I have with this policy is that most civilians would mistake an associate member wearing six or seven legion medals as a veteran. Indeed most associate members wear more medals than actual veterans. These are service awards for chairing such things as the Dart Competition, BBQ etc. I find it offensive that non veterans parade with all the pomp and ceremony that was and should be attributed to our real veterans. The issue is wide spread and clearly part of the reason why our younger veterans are not joining the Royal Canadian Legion. Please give this your immediate attention while we still have a RCL. If for no other reason we are responsible for the care and respect of the Poppy. Other legions (Royal British-Scottish etc wear lapel pins). The Canadian Legion membership continues to plummet, it is estimated approx 35.000 are actual veterans, the remaining approx 200.000 are made up of associate and non voting members. In other words just about anyone can join today`s legion branches. Please note the attachments are two legion medals that may be purchased for $25 ea plus P&P. Also photo of Tom Eagles wearing eleven medals but has never served a day in the Military or other services, example Coast Guard, RCMP etc.
While this lady agreed with my concerns she explained there is no immediate concern within the Justice Dept to amend the law (section 419). They apparently feel the law protects against imposters from wearing medals they are not entitled to. She did add that it would be unlikely that an elderly widow wearing her late husbands medals would be arrested. That attitude , which I agree with, surely runs contrary to the need for this law?
As for people wearing medals they are not entitled to, that will happen regardless of any law, it occurs in the UK and in many other nations. However, the UK do not act with a heavy hand as we do in Canada. Blood relatives may wear their late loved ones medals on suitable occasions. The Royal Canadian Legion are absolutely opposed to changing this law or of asking for an amendment. One might ask why? it doesn’t make a lot sense to deny an elderly widow from wearing her late husbands medals. Well, I think maybe it does to today’s legion members, whom are a large civilian majority. Associate members have become comfortable in legion uniform wearing an array of pretend medals on their right breast. While these many legion medals are quite legal they are far from appropriate in an organization dedicated to military veterans. They should be ashamed to be seen parading with real veterans often wearing twice the number of medals of the most decorated veteran. To sum up, perhaps as this law is so wrong it should be broken. Blood relatives should begin wearing loved ones medals all across this nation. How many do you think would be arrested and charged? Should this young girl be thrown in jail for daring to wear her Great Grandfathers WW1 medals????
How about this joker! he is quite legal with his array of some eleven tin medals, but is surely a mockery to the memory of our fallen. I can’t predict if anything will come of this, however, the way the legion is going failure cannot be to far into the future
Its rather ironic, the legion motto ”Preparing for the 21st Century”
Frederick Rodgers CD A legion member for 27 years, (cancelled membership 2016)

God Bless and keep reading

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The Fake Legion Medals

The Legion and Medals
Posted on February 15, 2017
by irishroverpei

This is the email I sent to the Governor General’s office on February 15th 2017. I received a phone call from a very nice lady (staff secretary) acknowledging my email. Below is a copy of the email I sent.
Real Medals & pretend medals

I’m greatly concerned with the present Royal Canadian Legion policy regarding medals. While it is quite acceptable for non veteran legion members to wear an array of legion service medals on their right breast in legion uniform. It is against the law for an eighty year old widow to wear her late husbands war medals of her right breast on suitable occasions. (see section 419 of Criminal Code) The important issue I have with this policy is that most civilians would mistake an associate member wearing six or seven legion medals as a veteran. Indeed most associate members wear more medals than actual veterans. These are service awards for chairing such things as the Dart Competition, BBQ etc. I find it offensive that non veterans parade with all the pomp and ceremony that was and should be attributed to our real veterans. The issue is wide spread and clearly part of the reason why our younger veterans are not joining the Royal Canadian Legion. Please give this your immediate attention while we still have a RCL. If for no other reason we are responsible for the care and respect of the Poppy. Other legions (Royal British-Scottish etc wear lapel pins). The Canadian Legion membership continues to plummet, it is estimated approx 35.000 are actual veterans, the remaining approx 200.000 are made up of associate and non voting members. In other words just about anyone can join today`s legion branches. Please note the attachments are two legion medals that may be purchased for $25 ea plus P&P. Also photo of Tom Eagles wearing eleven medals but has never served a day in the Military or other services, example RCMP etc.
While this lady agreed with my concerns she explained there is no immediate concern within the Justice Dept to amend the law (section 419). They apparently feel the law protects against imposters from wearing medals they are not entitled to. She did add that it would be unlikely that an elderly widow wearing her late husbands medals would be arrested. That attitude , which I agree with, surely runs contrary to the need for this law?
As for people wearing medals they are not entitled to, that will happen regardless of any law, it occurs in the UK and in many other nations. However, the UK do not act with a heavy hand as we do in Canada. Blood relatives may wear their late loved ones medals on suitable occasions. The Royal Canadian Legion are absolutely opposed to changing this law or of asking for an amendment. One might ask why? it doesn’t make a lot sense to deny an elderly widow from wearing her late husbands medals. Well, I think maybe it does to today’s legion members, whom are a large civilian majority. Associate members have become comfortable in legion uniform wearing an array of pretend medals on their right breast. While these many legion medals are quite legal they are far from appropriate in an organization dedicated to military veterans. They should be ashamed to be seen parading with real veterans often wearing twice the number of medals of the most decorated veteran. To sum up, perhaps as this law is so wrong it should be broken. Blood relatives should begin wearing loved ones medals all across this nation. How many do you think would be arrested and charged? Should this young girl be thrown in jail for daring to wear her Great Grandfathers WW1 medals????
How about this joker! he is quite legal with his array of some twelve tin medals, but this is surely a mockery to the memory of our fallen. I can’t predict if anything will come of this, however, the way the legion is going failure cannot be to far into the future
Its rather ironic, the legion motto ”Preparing for the 21st Century”
God Bless and keep reading

No Smoking!

The 1950’s, When Smoking was Fashionable
Posted on Sept 19th 2018
by irishroverpei

The photo is of a Woodbine Cigarette package in the 1950s, there was no health warnings on packages. today most brands must display a large warning printed on the front ” Smoking is Lethal”. Back in the 1950’s my father often sent me out to buy him a packet of cigarettes. I usually ended up in trouble because I always brought back the Turf brand of cigarettes. I used the same excuse each time, the shop was out of Woodbine. I did this because the Turf packets had football player cards inside.

Smoking was popular and fashionable. Just about everyone smoked, it was acceptable in restaurants, cinemas, cars, public transport and even in hospitals. I think the only place were people didn’t smoke was in church, but they lit up as soon as they got outside. Was it any wonder at aged fourteen I could hardly wait to be considered old enough to smoke. Smoking was to be accepted as an adult, it was cool, it was in vogue. Everyone in my family smoked, they had nicotine stains on their fingers and I thought that was cool too. By the time I joined the Royal Navy at age 15 I was smoking. It was probably the time when I could least afford to smoke, but smoke I did!!
In basic training boys often walked around the camp looking for cigarette butts, when they collected enough they salvaged the remaining tobacco and rolled it into a cigarette. When I went to sea cigarettes were duty free. Ashore I enjoying flashing a tin of fifty Navy issue cigarettes around civvies, the duty free 50 cans were not available on civvy street. At one point I was so carried away with the image of smoking, I had every accessory available, cigarette case, lighter, and cigarette holder. This was probably caused through the movies, all the leading stars, male or female smoked on the silver screen. They did it with great flourish, blowing rings, cleverly lighting a match off their shoe, wall or what ever else was available. flicking ash, or crushing out the butt with flare. Was it any wonder we thought smoking was cool. Thankfully we have learned and smoking today is considered disgusting, smelly, dirty and most important very unhealthy. For those remaining smokers it must be very difficult to find places to smoke. In winter we see smokers huddled outside their workplaces puffing and shivering, hardly a pleasure anymore. However the major tobacco companies are still pushing their products and targeting the young. Labels are not enough, hiding the products on store shelves is not enough. High prices are not enough. So what is the solution???? Do we ban them? outlaw them? I do not have the answers but clearly it is a nasty and anti-social addiction. Perhaps one day it will disappear from society, we can only hope. I quit smoking when I was 19, just after I had returned from the Far East. However I still suffered the effects of second hand smoke aboard ship. The worse possible second hand smoke came whilst in submarines. Smoking was restricted in submarines, but often the Captain would authorize one all round, everyone would light up and the boat would fill with smoke Ugh!!!  Today I do not tolerate anyone smoking in my space.
God Bless and keep reading.

As another Remembrance Day draws near

Soldiers Pride!!!!!Is this another private company attempting to profit from the Poppy, if so, its clear they got the idea from our phoney medal bedecked associate Legion members

Below are some of the reasons why the RCL is in such a mess

To Dominion-Provincial Commands?
Posted on November 13, 2017
by irishroverpei

 

The photo of this very smart little boy should speak volumes to the leadership of the Royal Canadian Legion.
Please tell me which photo you think portrays “Pride-Honour-Remembrance and Respect for our Veterans???????

If you think its Tom Eagles, then you should issue arrest orders for the little boy (except you can’t, he is in the UK). However, like all my previous posts you will just ignore me once again. Of course you might try to excuse this unnecessary law by saying you don’t make the law you just uphold it??? yeah right.
Finally, not to forget our very own PEI Provincial Command associate member, “Unanimous Brodersen”. Who would have thought your special unanimous committee might have been wrong???? Choose which photo of these two you find the more moving and respectful of our veterans? I fear it might be a unanimous decision in favour of the little boy
Oh Boy!!! just had to add this little gem. did you happen to notice the interview at the Ottawa service, with the first Canadian female to join the CF’s in the 1970’s?. She was a nurse and is clearly seen in the CBC TV interview wearing on her left breast her own CD medal. But on her right breast several second world war medals, (I assume they were her late fathers). Egads she is breaking the law!!! where was Dave Flannigan Dominion Command Legion President, Arrest that law breaker at once and throw her in jail!!!! This is the reason we have this law against blood relatives wearing late loved ones medals. Its just so criminal!!! Now, if that makes sense to those at Dominion Command???? If it all seems reasonable to the legion leadership with their right breast fake medals, then what more can I say????? I rest my case.
God Bless and keep reading

Soldiers Pride Poppy Brooch

First time I have come across this “Soldiers Pride” and it looks like an American company that sells military banners, posters flags etc. If this is correct I have to wonder how they have come by the commercial rights to use the poppy for profit. Also, if I’m correct, then the blame falls squarely at the feet of the Royal Canadian Legion, they started this selling poppy embossed items for their own profits. Items like earrings, bird feeders, teddy bears, umbrellas. legion lager and much more.. The Poppy is a world wide symbol of remembrance, and should be respected as such. It was never intended for private businesses or Legions to market for profit. I have many times objected to the RCL selling poppy embossed trinkets and their huge array of legion (right Breast) medals. It just seems like this is an endless story of a once proud organization becoming one that will lower its standards for money. Seems all respect for our fallen has been kicked into touch by this new breed of civilian legion members.

God Bless and keep reading

Scottish Bubble Gum!!!

A Wee bit of Scottish Humour
Posted on 16th Sept 2018 by irishroverpei

One morning a Scotsman is having breakfast in Paris, (coffee, croissants, bread, butter and marmalade) when a Frenchman, chewing bubble-gum, sits down next to him. The Scotsman ignores the Frenchman who, nevertheless, starts a conversation..
Frenchman: ‘You Scots folk eat the whole bread?’
Scotsman (in a bad mood): ‘Of course.’
Frenchman (after blowing a huge bubble): ‘We don’t. In France , we only eat what’s inside. The crusts we collect in a container, recycle it, transform …them into croissants and sell them to Scotland .’ The Frenchman has a smirk on his face.
The Scotsman listens in silence.
The Frenchman persists: ‘Do you eat marmalade with your bread?’
Scotsman: ‘Of course.’
Frenchman (cracking his bubble-gum between his teeth and chuckling): ‘We don’t. In France we eat fresh fruit for breakfast, then we put all the peels, seeds, and leftovers in containers, recycle them, transform them into marmalade, and sell the marmalade to Scotland.’
After a moment of silence, the Scotsman asks: ‘Do you have sex in France ?’
Frenchman: ‘Why of course we do’, he says with a big smirk.
Scotsman: ‘And what do you do with the condoms once you’ve used them?’
Frenchman: ‘We throw them away, of course.’
Scotsman: ‘We don’t. In Scotland , we put them in a container, recycle them, melt them down into bubble-gum, and sell them to France .’
God Bless and keep reading

The Bionic Man

Seeing the photo on FB of the Bionic Man brought back fond memories of our youngest daughter Susannah May AKA Budge. When she was a little girl she loved Steve Austin. She would run across the living room in slow motion to imitate Steve running at bionic speed. For a time Budge insisted we call her Steve or when she felt more formal Major Austin. She is all grown up now and living and working in Newfoundland. We usually get to see at least once a year but still miss her very much. I hope you will all give her a kind thought today. She is very sick and in Hospital in St Johns. However, I have confidence her bionic powers will return and she will soon be cured!

Love You Budge. God Bless and keep reading

Government Changing PNP Program????

Do our elected politicians really believe we Islanders are thick, dumb, stupid or perhaps all of the above.??? Chris Palmer recently stated the following, quote : As a government, we must ensure that our programs are working to the benefit of the Province”. Next he stated and I Quote “It is clear that previous successive governments were unable to alleviate concerns. Chris may I ask to which previous successive governments are you referring ???  Would that be the three successive liberal governments, the two term Ghiz liberal government or the present MacLauchlan Liberal government . Could it not be possible the program change is due to the Canadian Border Security Service investigation?? Or possibly because more than 600 immigrants registered the same Sherwood Motel residence as there permanent island address? Naturally all islanders are happy the program is changing, its just a pity our elected officials cannot tell us the truth.

God Bless and keep reading

Real estate windfall or ????

If the story I recently read on social media is factual then I have to confess I’m at a loss to understand. In March 2018 a government committee was formed, (Standing Comittee investigating Land.) Among the land owners invited to attend was  GEBIS (Buddhist monks).. MLA Allen Roach was a committee member who strenuously opposed GEBIS being included. He claimed to do so was racist, anti immigrant , infringement of religious rights and completely inappropriate..he succeeded in blocking the monks from having to appear. There have been questions raised about the amount of land the monks are buying. It has been alleged they are purchasing land using other names, names that connect directly or indirectly to GEBIS.. On the face of this it appears to just be another liberal dominated committee forcing its policy on the opposition. However,one item causes me to reconsider. Shortly before this committee was formed I understand that Allen and Betty Roach sold their modest Montague area home for approximately 3/4 million dollars. It is further claimed the home was sold to Chin+Fang Chen and Chieh-Ju Chen, and suggests they are connected to GEBIS. While I’m quite sure the house transaction was legal there nevertheless does not appear to have been any question asked by the opposition or news media. One might have expected the opposition and or the media to be all over this. I’m left with three questions. (1) was there a conflict of interest with Roach participating on this committee? (2) Should Roach have recused himself? Finally does this pass the smell test?. I leave your readers to judge.

God Bless and keep reading

Disappearing Health Care

Not so long ago this Liberal Government privatized homecare by awarding the contract the the Island EMS. Now perhaps I stand to be corrected? perhaps I have misunderstood, because very little on these subjects is ever made public. I never saw or heard mention in the media or on CBC Compass. Now this latest rumour, I hear you can only receive physio at a hospital if you are a patient in hospital. If your doctor prescribes physio, guess what? You have to go to a private clinic. I imagine their fees are expensive and probably beyond the scope of a great many islanders. When I say I’m not totally clear on my Facts, its because so many of these changes are slipped in quietly. Little or no mention in the news media. It seems this is what MacLauchlan meant when he said his government would do business differently.. What really worries me, and indeed should worry all islanders, is other possible changes to healthcare we are not being informed of.

God Bless and keep reading