It seems to me we continue to have serious disputes between branches and Commands. In each incident the question of money always comes up????
Royal Canadian Legion In Clare Loses Charter. Locked In Battle With Legion Command.
After 79 years, there is no longer a Royal Canadian Legion Branch in Saulnierville.
The building is there, only because it belongs to the Municipality of Clare.
The Clare Branch 52, with its nearly 100 members, got into a dispute with the Nova Scotia-Nunavut Command and lost its charter.
If the Branch had owned the building, the Command would have padlocked it and put it up for sale.
The issue was about money.
The Command was going to take 10 per cent each month of the Poppy Trust of all Legion branches.
The money in the trust is donated by people to buy poppies and wreaths for Remembrance Day with the balance going to help veterans.
The Command wanted the 10 per cent to help pay the travel expenses of a service officer.
A service officer advises and assists veterans.
The Clare branch voted not to hand over the money.
Lucy Melanson, the manager of the Clare Legion Branch, says the service officer would not be travelling
to Clare.
“I don’t understand why they have somebody travelling there (Cape Breton) to look after their veterans when we don’t have anyone travelling our end of the province to look after them. We’re like a forgotten group except when they want money. Nova Scotia Command
has never….to my recollection, and I’ve been managing for 18 years….they have never given us anything but a headache.”
Steven Wessel is President of the Nova Scotia-Nunavut Command.
He says every Legion branch is given an operational charter with the understanding that they must abide by the by-laws and guidelines
of the Royal Canadian Legion.
“The Branch in Saulnierville, Branch 52, and their membership, decided to disregard specific articles of these by-laws, and when
they were given the opportunity, and they were given the opportunity on many occasions, continued to refuse to comply with the organizational by-laws.
Wessel says in May all Legion branch delegates, including Saulnierville, voted in favour of a resolution of a 10 per cent assessment
of their Poppy Trust Funds.
“Every two years in May we have a Provincial Command Convention and all of the Branches within our Command are represented.
In May of 2015 a resolution was put forward to the delegates stating that there would be a 10 per cent assessment on their branch Poppy
Trust Funds. This 10 per cent assessment would be in support of the Nova Scotia-Nunavut Command’s Service Bureau which provides support to all Canadian veterans who require logistical support. That resolution was brought to the floor, debating and carried.”
Wessel says the Branch was very hard-nosed about their decision.
Lucy Melanson says while she doesn’t speak for the Branch 52 executive, she feels strongly that they shouldn’t have to pay the
10 per cent to get their Legion charter back.
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For some it is about the money instead of the Veterans:(
A lot of money need at dominion and provincial commands to pay large salaries,travel and other expenses. Dues like membership is falling, and its a bit more difficult to dip into the Poppy fund without being noticed
Hi Ben, tonight 18 Jan 2017 the Clare veterans have their very first meeting as an association. Finally we’ll be able to, discuss money and anything we want without the legion telling us what to do. Steve Weesel president of NS/Nunavut command is still bugging us for our furniture etc that is left in the building which we sold/donated to the municipality with their approval. Even though we supplied them with all the SIGNED documents proving this he continues to hunt us.
Hi Russ they are clearly short of money,not just at the provincial level but all the way to the top. Membership dues are down . They lost 100 more with the loss of Clare plus how many like me have not renewed.. Their latest attempt to raise money is using cell phone offer, with each plan they sell they get $25 per contract. I will post about this soon.