Status of Canadian legions examined as November 11 nears

There is a bit of good news and some pressure points when it comes to assessing the state of legions in Canada.

According to Craig Hood, the executive director of the Royal Canadian Legion Nova Scotia/Nunavut Command, legions in general are strong. However, in some parts of Canada, legions are shrinking and contracting.

“Branches are struggling in those certain areas,” said Hood. “But they are growing in others. We are growing and shrinking as those communities grow and shrink.”

Hood said the pathway to sustainability for legions is to stay strongly linked to veterans outreach programs.

“Our programs are designed to be relevant to the current needs of modern veterans, such as myself,” said Hood, who added it is important to remember the original role of legions. “To bring essentially 16 veteran organizations together.”

The Royal Canadian Legion was launched in 1926 to help advocate for veterans of the First World War.

Hood says he is proud of the work done at each individual legion.

Military historian Ken Hynes agrees.

“But, I think it’s very important for the legion to be seen as relevant, not only by those who have gone before, and for those who have served today,” said Hynes, who added many legions are stable and strong, but he would like to see areas of improvement.

“Put more focus on bringing veterans into the organization, and not so much on the associate membership of the legion,” said Hynes, who also stressed the associate membership does great work.

“The original intent of all those thousands of guys who came back from the First World War and formed what became the Royal Canadian Legion was veterans serving veterans.”

Hynes wants to see more of those themes re-injected into the Royal Canadian Legion in the future.