Royal Canadian Legion

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Royal Canadian Legion is a non-profit Canadian ex-service organisation (veterans organization) founded in 1925, with more than 400,000 members worldwide. Membership includes people who have served as current and former military, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, provincial and municipal police, direct relatives of members and also affiliated members.

Elizabeth II, as Queen of Canada, is royal patron of the Legion; the Governor General of Canada is also traditionally appointed as a patron of the group.

Historically the Legion Hall was the social centre of many Canadian towns. This was especially the case in the provinces with severe restrictions on the sale of alcohol, rules the legions were generally exempt from.

In 2005, the Alberta branch of the Royal Canadian Legion accidentally used the Horst-Wessel-Lied as the theme music in an advertising campaign for their fundraising lottery.

[edit] Legion Athletic Camp

In 1962 the Legion began a summer sports camp at the International Peace Garden which is run to this day, and has helped to train over 30,000 school age athletes.