A Royal Canadian Legion department in Vaughan, Ont., has been shut down as a result of its affiliation with outlaw bike gangs.
The choice was delivered to members of Department 414, often known as Mackenzie department, by way of a written letter on Feb. 12.
“It is with great sorrow that I inform you that the charter of the MacKenzie branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, Ontario Provincial Command has been revoked due to the branch’s overt association with outlaw motorcycle groups,” stated the letter, obtained by Ontario Chronicle and signed by the Legion’s provincial president, Derek Moore.
Moore wrote that the motion was taken by Dominion Command upon the request of Ontario Command, after police and inner investigations discovered that the department was “overtly and knowingly breaching the legion’s policy” on sporting “outlaw motorcycle club/street gang colours”, which incorporates vests, logos and patches at Legion occasions.
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“The Legion developed this policy in consultation with Canada’s law enforcement agencies. The overt wearing of outlaw motorcycle club colours at Legion events and premises is contrary to the Legion’s Articles of Faith and disrespectful to the sacrifices made by our Veterans,” the letter reads.
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“We cannot permit the Legion’s name or events to be associated with organized crime,” wrote Moore.
Extra stated that in October 2023, after” inquiry and for trigger,” the command suspended the Constitution of the MacKenzie department.
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“We spent days, weeks and months gathering information and discussing the final decision on the MacKenzie branch and concluded that revocation was the only choice,” stated Moore within the letter.
This isn’t the primary time MacKenzie department has made headlines. Final fall, York Regional Police stated a former president and a former treasurer of the department had been charged with fraud.
York police alleged that between 2017 and 2019, the branches’ former president had written herself 34 cheques and did seven digital cash transfers to her account totalling greater than $33,500.
Police stated the previous treasurer “participated by signing 24 of the written cheques.” They each have been charged with fraud over $5,000 and possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000.
Nonetheless, the letter didn’t reference that the alleged fraud investigation is linked to the department being shut down.
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The letter says that “despite this highly unfortunate situation,” MacKenzie members can contemplate transferring to a unique Legion department.
Moore stated that the constructing and its whole contents might be bought. After excellent bills and money owed are paid, any remaining cash “will go toward veteran-centric and community programs and supports.”
Ontario Chronicle reached out to Ontario Provincial Command of the Legion and York Regional Police for remark however didn’t hear again on the time of publication.
— With information from Ontario Chronicle’ Ryan Rocca
© 2024 Ontario Chronicle, a division of Corus Leisure Inc.
