Dear friend,
During the ExperienceTO: Long Branch Historical Tour on July 11th, we'll get to visit the local Royal Canadian Legion's Branch 101 and hear from its President (and Veteran) Alan Roy.
Looking back in history, we find that following the First World War, numerous veterans' organizations emerged across Canada, with the Great War Veterans Association standing as the largest of 15 distinct groups.
The push for unification came in 1925 when Field Marshal Douglas Haig (the 1st Earl Haig), founder of the British Empire Service League (now the Royal Commonwealth Ex-Services League), visited Canada and urged these fragmented groups to merge. Responding to his call, the Dominion Veterans Alliance was formed that same year to unite the various factions.
This momentum quickly led to a more permanent structure. In late 1925, The Canadian Legion of the British Empire Services League was officially founded. In 1926, The Legion was formally incorporated via a special Act of Parliament.
The organization grew steadily throughout the 1930s and experienced a period of rapid expansion following the Second World War. Its vital role in supporting veterans was permanently honored in 1960 when Queen Elizabeth II granted the organization royal patronage, officially renaming it the Royal Canadian Legion.
“Service, not to self but to others” is the Royal Canadian Legion's mandate, and the over 200,000-member organization is celebrating 100 years since its founding. Members include people who served in the military, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, provincial or municipal police, Royal Canadian Air, Army and Sea Cadets, direct relatives of service members, and members of the general public.
The Royal Canadian Legion's main focus and initiatives honor those who gave their lives for our freedom while attending to the needs of Veterans, as well as their dependents/families and those still active in The Canadian Armed Forces. It offers help by means of financial and emotional support, and it assists with finding homes and covering medical expenses for Veterans.
Here are three suggested steps we can take, inspired by Earl Haig and the Royal Canadian Legion:
- Learn about Earl Haig’s Devotion to Veteran Welfare: After the First World War, Earl Haig chose to dedicate his later years entirely to the well-being of returning soldiers. He established the global Haig Fund and championed the adoption of the remembrance poppy to ensure that those who served were never forgotten or left without aid. We can keep this legacy alive, and one step is to learn more about Royal Canadian Legion's ongoing support for local veterans and their families.
- Explore Long Branch's History: The stories of sacrifice and camaraderie that shaped Canada are woven into the very buildings and streets we will visit on Saturday, July 11th, for the ExperienceTO: Long Branch Historical Tour. This is your chance to step inside the historic Branch 101, see its heritage firsthand, and hear directly from Branch President and Veteran Alan Roy.
- Choose Unity: When Earl Haig arrived in Canada and encountered 15 fragmented veterans' organizations working in isolation, he urged them to break down their barriers and merge into a single, unified voice; this was the call that ultimately birthed the Legion we know today. Let's apply that timeless lesson within our context. Whether you belong to a local charity or a community group, look for ways to collaborate rather than compete. We can achieve far more when we pull together for a shared, greater purpose than we ever could alone.
Thank you for taking the time to read and reflect.
Until next time,
Alex Rășcanu
P.S. If you'd like to read the past life lessons-focused e-newsletters, you can find them here.
P.P.S. See you at one of the upcoming monthly #ExperienceTO historical tours.
