Standing alongside the government in the elimination of disability pensions for younger veterans

Once an outspoken advocate for disabled veterans  the  Royal Canadian Legion is now widely perceived  by younger veterans today as a "policy lapdog"  for the federal government  directing many of its resources to non-veteran charities.  Increasingly fewer younger vets choose to join the Legion.   

When the New Veterans Charter was being introduced in 2005 the Legion’s executive  , to the dismay of many younger disabled veterans,  officially  supported the changes to veteran benefits including the elimination of disability pensions.   

Speaking before the Senate  in May of 2005 the then President of the Legion Ms. Mary-Ann Burdett, stated that  “there should be no doubt that whatsoever that the Royal Canadian Legion fully supports this initiative (the New Veterans Charter) .  We want this legislation.”

More recently the Legion has followed the government in claiming that the legislation needs to be “tweaked” 

Speaking before the Senate on the New Veteran Charter   Pierre Allard, Director Service Bureau for the Legion   stated that “a living charter needs to be more than just words.  If the required urgent corrective actions and improvements to the New Veterans Charter are not implemented,  we will come to the logical conclusion that the foundations of the New Veterans Charter are built on sand.”