82-year-old banned from legion for a year
The 82-year-old woman who tried to raise concerns about the mistreatment of veterans with the president of the Royal Canadian Legion has been suspended from that organization for a year.
Joan Beznoski, who never did get to talk to the legion’s president, is also prohibited from holding any position with the legion for another two years.
Beznoski, a legion member for 36 years, brought discredit to the organization for failing to follow its bylaws, according to the registered letter delivered to her home in Lac du Bonnet, Man.
Beznoski said she wasn’t surprised by the punishment, which is the harshest ever handed out by that particular branch. “Our veterans fought and died for freedom of speech and I get kicked out for trying to talk to the president,” she said in an interview. “Except I never even got to talk to him.”
Gail Conrad Davey, president of legion Branch 164 in Lac du Bonnet, did not respond to a request for comment.
Even before it was decided that Beznoski had violated the rules, Conrad Davey issued a statement condemning the woman’s actions and branding her as a disgruntled individual.
But at the heart of the matter appears to be an internal battle at the branch where veterans have been removed from key positions and replaced by civilian legion members.
Of the legion’s 300,000 members, only about 50,000 are actual military veterans and there is growing concern the organization is turning into a social club focused on the needs of civilian members.
Beznoski’s troubles began after she tried to phone the legion’s Ottawa headquarters and talk to dominion command president Tom Eagles to voice her dissatisfaction about how the country’s largest veterans’ organization was treating former soldiers.
In a letter, obtained by the Ottawa Citizen, White said the elderly woman wanted dominion command, the legion’s administration organization, to conduct an investigation into ongoing problems in the Lac du Bonnet branch, including allegations of bullying and disrespectful behaviour toward veterans.
A short time later, Beznoski was asked to leave a bingo game to come into a backroom at the legion hall to answer questions.
Among those questioning her was Trevor Jenvenne, a RCMP officer who would later sit as chairman of the committee that heard the complaint against Beznoski. Jenvenne’s mother, who is the secretary of the branch, also signed off on the complaint against Beznoski.
Trevor Jenvenne did not respond to a request for comment.
Bruce Poulin, a spokesman for the Royal Canadian Legion, said Beznoski was informed of the correct procedure to have her concerns addressed at the local level.
Beznoski noted she had previously followed the legion’s protocols and submitted her concerns to the various levels over a year-long period. But no response was provided so she decided to try to approach Eagles.
Allan McArthur, a military veteran who helped Beznoski in her case, said he found it ironic that during the complaint process legion officials didn’t follow the protocols required. In the letter to Beznoski, the branch acknowledged that concern but added the issue is “moot.”