While the Royal Canadian Legion may be undergoing some transformational changes with regards to membership qualifications, that actually began about 30 years ago, when doors were opened to more general membership applicants, there is still a necessary military presence that needs to be respected and maintained within this highly regarded organization.
In other words, we don’t want the Legion to die an unnatural death simply because an original mandate had to be compromised in order for it to survive, and yes, thrive.
Legion revivals can happen. In fact, our Branch No. 60 here in Estevan is a fitting example of how this may be accomplished.
Membership is no longer dwindling. It has been stabilized.
There is still a respectful military base line from which to work their community contributions and other good deeds.
Aging veterans may no longer be active members, but they are certainly key elements for the future, while paying tribute to the past.
While mostly non-military members or “civilians” may now fill many, if not most, of the governance roles, there is still that huge spectre of Canada’s military presence and might that must be paid homage to even as new members don their Legion jackets and berets.
In just the past year, the Estevan Legion and its members have been in the forefront of huge community projects, bringing energy and enthusiasm as well as a large case of expertise to Veterans’ Park in Royal Heights and the Monument – Soldiers’ Tree in the central part of our city.
Those two major programs have been completed with respect and aplomb while the Legion also continued to contribute to our city and region in so many other ways, both financially and practically.
We can ask for no more.
The Legion just keeps on giving.
Some aging members may lament the gradual passing of the flame in terms of military presence, but even that can be seen as a positive reflection insofar as Canada no longer requires tens of thousands of soldiers, sailors and airmen and women to march, sail and fly off to gigantic battle zones.
Today’s Canadian military presence is subdued and battle ventures are vastly different from those fought 75 years ago. Today the battles are fought more logistically, remotely and certainly with less clear definitions. Today’s enemy is tomorrow’s ally in the current military complex where digital electronic records define wins and losses and the enemy is never clearly identified, and more often ignore the Geneva Convention rules of engagement.
But that does not preclude our need to honour and respect those who are still out there, defending our democracy, which is still the most precious asset we have. Just ask any of our recently arrived 25,000 refugees about freedoms to speak out, speak up and to tread on streets without fear of reprisals, or even death for simply expressing truths.
Democracy is not easy, nor has it ever been easy.
That’s why we hope the Royal Canadian Legion and all that it stands for, continues to survive and thrive in our communities. We would be vastly poorer without it and the demise of the Legion would signal a major blow against that democracy we speak of and too often, take for granted.
We can’t take the Legion or our democracy for granted. We must preserve both to make sense of our troubled world.
