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51st Manitoba-Northwestern Ontario Convention

Dedication to honouring and serving veterans shines through

If you were magically transported to the Field of Honour in Winnipeg’s Brookside Cemetery, you could easily mistake the setting for a Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) site in Europe.

Opened in 1915 after the Daughters of the Empire requested the city set aside a section of the graveyard for the internment of First World War veterans, it now holds more than 10,000 burials of veterans of both world wars and other service members. The area also boasts a Cross of Sacrifice memorial and the only Stone of Remembrance—the sarcophagus-like altar centrepiece of many European CWGC grounds—in the Americas.

In a particularly meaningful display, some 100-plus members of The Royal Canadian Legion’s Manitoba-Northwestern Ontario Command marched a short distance past dozens of rows of iconic CWGC light-gray granite headstones on June 13, 2025. The group, assembled for its 51st annual convention, then held a brief remembrance ceremony surrounded by the dead.

Master of ceremonies and local arrangements committee chair Brian Rodgers recited the Act of Remembrance before wreaths were placed by Manitoba Lt.-Gov. Anita R. Neville, RCL Dominion Immediate Past President Bruce Julian, provincial command President Ernie Tester, provincial RCL Ladies’ Auxiliary President Jane Brown and Mike Bowman Wilson on behalf of Veterans Affairs Canada.

Legion Dominion Immediate Past President Bruce Julian thanks Manitoba-Northwestern Ontario Command outgoing president Ernie Tester for his service. [Aaron Kylie/LM]

The opening ceremony was held a short time later at the Birchwood Inn hotel, site of the convention. Notably, delegates sang “O Canada” unaccompanied. The Legionnaires then retired to the event’s host branch, Charleswood, for comradery, sloppy joes and evening entertainment. 

The gathering got down to its business agenda the following two days, June 14-15. Julian was first to address the crowd, bringing updates from headquarters.

“The future continues to look bright for The Royal Canadian Legion,” said Julian. “Membership numbers are increasing across the board, our profile across the country is getting stronger, and we are helping thousands of veterans through the work of our service officers and branches.”

He noted that membership grew for the third consecutive year in 2024, up five per cent from 2023, and that all provincial commands are on track for year-over-year membership growth. Julian also highlighted the Legion’s advocacy efforts and the work of its service officers.

“We will never stop pushing for change related to our veterans’ well-being,” he emphasized. “Our national service officers alone had over 8,000 interactions with veterans last year, from filling out forms for benefits to answering one-off questions, we are proud of the crucial assistance they offer.”

The convention then heard from the first of several guest speakers, retired lieutenant-colonel Matt Halpin, president of the Manitoba board of the Last Post Fund. He spoke about his organization’s mission to ensure that no veteran is ever denied a dignified funeral. He noted that the government support under which the fund operates hasn’t increased in a decade, and highlighted the group’s work to identify veterans in unmarked graves and its efforts to have the tombstones of Indigenous veterans reflect their heritage with appropriate symbols and traditional names, among other updates.

A short time later, Suzette Brémault-Pillips, director of the Heroes in Mind Advocacy and Research Consortium, detailed her organization’s work in resiliency training, its efforts to build an academic network of innovation, and research into a new post-traumatic stress disorder treatment known as 3MDR, which thus far has proved to be very successful. Of particular note in Brémault-Pillips presentation was her concern about the prospect of future conflict.

“The young generation needs to learn from you,” she told the Legionnaires. “We need to learn from you about what kinds of things to prepare for and how to prepare Canada for what we may be walking into. Many people in our younger generation are not attuned to the realities that we might be facing in days ahead.”

President Tester’s address to members noted several significant moments from his three-year tenure, with many relating to honouring veterans. He highlighted the rededication ceremonies of the cenotaph in Roblin, Man., and the Belgian Veterans War Memorial in Winnipeg, as well as the dedication of memorials for Lieutenant-Colonel Lockhart Fulton in Birtle, Man., and the Dufferin Gang in Selkirk, Man., in 2022; and the unveiling of a plaque at the Manitoba Legislative Building honouring special forces executives and military families in 2023.

“I extend sincere gratitude to provincial council members, branches and all [members] for your continued support, dedication and hospitality,” said Tester. “It has been an honour to serve alongside each of you.”

Elections followed Tester’s remarks and continued throughout the convention. There were 118 voting delegates and 219 proxies. Robert Cutbush of Port Arthur Branch was acclaimed president, advancing from his tenure as first vice. Gail Conrad Davey of Lac du Bonnet, Man., Branch filled that position over fellow incumbent vice president Wayne Baker of Kenora, Ont., Branch.

New Manitoba-Northwestern Ontario Command President Robert Cutbush (right) is escorted to the stage for the installation of the latest executive. [Aaron Kylie/LM]

Baker joined four others vying for the three VP positions: Chris Flood of Carberry, Man., Branch, Jason Lava of Kenora Branch, Ken Morley of St. James Branch in Winnipeg and Joan Wright of Brandon, Man., Branch. Baker, Flood and Lava were all elected on the first ballot.

Tanya Bishop of Winnipeg’s Transcona Branch was voted honorary treasurer over former executive member Rick Bennett of Fort Garry Branch in Winnipeg. Incumbent chair Bette Vance of Winnipeg’s Norwood-St. Boniface Branch faced off against John Kosowan of Winnipeg’s Prince Edward Branch and Trevor Jenvenne of Lac du Bonnet, Man., Branch, but lost her gavel to Jenvenne on a second ballot. Roland Fisette of St. James Branch was acclaimed sergeant-at-arms. 

Throughout the convention, committees shared reports on their works and other presentations were made.

Notable among the latter was a donation made by Jo-Jo Barkley, acting president of Winnipeg’s former Ukrainian Canadian Veterans Branch. “With pride and regret, after over 70 years of serving our veterans and community we were compelled to close our doors, sell the building and turn in our charter,” said Barkley. “It’s been an honour and privilege to be able to distribute the branch’s remaining legacy.”

Barkley then presented $9,000 to the Veterans Alliance of Canada, a Winnipeg-based non-profit that assists veterans living in Manitoba, $20,000 to the Manitoba-Northwestern Ontario Command branch assistance fund, and $100,000 to the Canadian Legion Memorial Housing Foundation, a provincial command initiative that has operated low-cost housing for veterans since 1956.

“With the Ukrainian Canadian Veterans Branch 141 Legion’s final breath,” said Barkley, “we present our last gesture of goodwill in these three cheques.”

Dominion Past President Julian oversaw installation of the newly elected officers to conclude the event. President Cutbush addressed delegates before they were dismissed, getting right to business.

“The operation, administration and fiscal responsibilities shall run economically and efficiently, tracking incoming contacts in a business-like manner, keeping comradeship as the lead mark” said Cutbush of his approach.

“Each member of The Royal Canadian Legion and their respective branch is the backbone of this organization,” he continued. “Recruiting and retaining new members is paramount to ensure the next 100 years will be effective.”


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