Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 503

1. Legion membership at the end of 2013 stood at 307,459.

We welcomed 23,403 new members in 2013. We paid our last respects to more than 7,000 of our Comrades and we have more than 20,000 members who have not renewed as of February 28, 2014. We need everyone in the Legion to work to get these members back! Many branches have already reached out to their lapsed members and Dominion Command will be doing the same on a national basis later in April 2014.

2. With your Legion membership dues here is how the split works in terms of what comes to Dominion Command, what goes to cover your magazine subscription, and what goes to Provincial Commands:
Dominion Command gets $10.65
Your subscription to Legion Magazine ranges from $9.96 to $10.91depending on taxes in your province.
Provincial Commands get $8.00 to 16.00 based on the Command.

The last membership dues increase the Legion experienced was in 2006 and it was stated that no further increases would be sought for four years. The Legion has been able to operate for 8 years with no increase in dues and we are all to be congratulated for this tremendous effort.

The amount provided to your Dominion and Provincial Commands goes directly into the General Funds. These funds are used for all of the great programs and services the Legion delivers including:
• Leave the Streets Behind – the support program to assist homeless, or near homeless Veterans.
• Veterans Transition Program – the solider-to-soldier support program for Veterans with an Operational Stress Injury such as PTSD
• National Service Bureau – your member dues make sure the Legion is there for all Veterans and their families when the need assistance. Every Legion Branch has a Service Officer who is part of the national network which also includes the Provincial and Dominion Command Service Officers who make so many positive changes in the lives of Veterans and their families. Your Legion is the only Veterans’ group mandated through Federal legislation to provide this kind of support.
• Advocacy – the work of the Legion in every province and at a national level happens every day and a large part of this is work is to advocate for, and on behalf of Veterans. It is the Legion that works tirelessly to ensure all Veterans receive the care and benefits to which they are entitled. Our duty extends to their families as well and we will always hold government accountable for the care of the men and women who gave all for their country.
• Veterans’ Outreach & Visitation Program – as part of a national survey to ensure our Veterans are getting the care they require, hundreds of Legionnaires reach out and contact Veterans directly to assess their living situations and we then report this information to government.
• Operation Canada Day and Operation Santa Claus – did you know your Legion membership helps us deliver a gift from Canada to our troops deployed around the world? Every year on Canada Day and just before Christmas your Legion delivers thousands of packages to the men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces and RCMP who are serving overseas.
• National Remembrance Day Ceremonies – the Legion is the driving force behind the National Remembrance Day ceremony along with the Virtual Wall of Honour and Remembrance. We are the guardians of Remembrance for all Canadians and your membership ensures we will never forget.
• Member Sports – from darts, to cribbage, curling eight-ball and more, these programs all benefit from your membership. Thousands of Legionnaires engage in sports every day and it helps them connect to their friends and in their community.
• Youth National Track and Field – this award-winning national sporting event is the only one of its kind in Canada and you make it possible for thousands of youth to train, compete, and grow as athletes.
• Youth Literary & Poster Contest – more than 100,000 students of all ages participate in these contests to ensure We Will Remember Them.
• Cadet, Scout and Girl Guide programs – the Legion supports more than 1,100 Cadet Corps across Canada along with making significant contributions to Scouting and Guiding troops. Your membership dues are making a difference in the lives of thousands of Canadian youth, helping them develop team skills, leadership abilities and giving them the confidence to carry on the torch of Remembrance for their generation.
• Charitable Organizations – your membership dues help countless other charities the Legion supports including Meals on Wheels, food banks and more.

So you can see just how far your membership dues really go. From your Branch to programs and services that are delivered across the country. The Legion has accomplished so much recently for our Veterans and communities and none of it would be possible without your support as dues paying members. But yes, 8 years on now we are facing some increasing costs of operating these programs. This will discussed at the upcoming Dominion Convention in Edmonton so that all delegates will have a say.

Compared to almost every other membership based organization, your membership dues in the Legion are still among the lowest in Canada, yet give back the highest benefits. It’s not just with the member benefit partners and the great discounts they provide, but as a Legion member you are part of the largest Veterans and community support organization in Canada. Of that you can be proud.