OTTAWA – Bruce Julian was acclaimed as The Royal Canadian Legion’s new Dominion President during the organization’s virtual 48th Dominion Convention held from August 13-15. New resolutions were also passed, which will help shape Legion operations going forward.
“I am thankful for this opportunity to work more closely with our dedicated members and volunteers who keep this organization functioning,” said Julian. “We have a strong foundation of almost 100 years of supporting our Veterans and communities, and I want to continue building upon that. I also want to help mould an organization that all Canadians, in our truly diverse country, will want to join.”
Also elected were First Vice-President, Owen Parkhouse, and three Vice-Presidents including Berkley Lawrence, Sharon McKeown, and Brian Weaver. Thomas D. Irvine becomes the Immediate Past President, Vice-Admiral (Ret’d) Larry Murray remains the Legion’s Grand President, an appointed advisory position.
Over 800 Legion delegates voted on many new submitted resolutions from across the country pertaining to operations and advocacy. Some key decisions include the following:
- Providing a recommendation to the Federal Government to fulfil its promise to eliminate the “marriage after 60” clause.
- Making a request to Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) and the Ministry of Health to immediately produce a list of all Veterans awaiting placement in Long Term Care (LTC) facilities; and that legislation be enacted to re-designate all vacant Preferred Admission Beds for immediate placement of waiting Veterans close to their usual residence.
- Strong advocacy on behalf of Veterans, to extend the eligibility of “VAC Contract Beds” to include all Canadian Forces Veterans.
- Legion support for Canada’s Indigenous community, with their collaboration and throughout the organization, as appropriate and possible; in the wake of past injustices and loss, and in recognition of those who served and continue to serve our country.
- A call to Government by the Legion’s President in the wake of concerning allegations of sexual misconduct within the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), to establish an independent Office of the Inspector General of the CAF and the Department of National Defence, reporting to Parliament.
The complete wording and listing of all resolutions passed will appear on the Legion.ca website at a later date.
The Legion’s Dominion Convention is usually held every two years at varying locations across the country. The original date of 2020 was moved to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This means the newly elected Executive team members will serve a three-year term instead of two, and the next Dominion Convention will be held in 2024. It will take place from August 23-29 in Saint John, New Brunswick.
About The Royal Canadian Legion
Founded in 1925, the Legion is Canada’s largest veteran support and community service organization. We are a non-profit organization with a national reach across Canada as well as branches in the U.S., and Europe. With close to 250,000 members, many of whom volunteer an extraordinary amount of time to their branches, our strength is in our numbers.
