The Legacy of the Legion

     When people think about Legions, they often forget their true meanings. Legions may be places where various get together take place, such as dances and bazaars, but they are much more than that. As time goes by, the younger generation of Canadians often forget the sacrifices men and women made for their country. Even the meaning of the poppy is becoming ambiguous among many people. Moreover, people do not understand how wars, even today, are beyond violence as they represent the courage, resilience, and sacrifice of brave Canadians.

As Public History students of Concordia, we decided to retrace this meaning by interviewing various veterans, RCMP officers, and Legion members, particularly those of Legion 212 in Lasalle. Our interviewees provided a lot of information about how Legions, including their own, bring various war veterans together where they may reminisce about their past wartime experiences. Various activities and events make such get together more exciting. Such events also include family members and members of the community. Unfortunately, memberships within Legions are low, not only because veterans are passing away, but also because younger generations are not joining them. This is mainly due to their disconnection with the past and misunderstanding of the importance of war and memory.

    We hope to disband such boundaries and provide a voice for Legion 212 within a larger community. We have created this website with an accompanying documentary video to help spread such voices to those who do not understand the meaning behind the legacy of the Legion.