The Royal Canadian Legion’s mission is to serve all veterans and communities in the country and to promote remembrance. With 1,350 branches and a large volunteer base, the RCL is the cornerstone of many communities throughout Canada. As the nation’s largest veteran-support organization, enhancing the well-being and quality of life for all veterans and their families is of great importance.

Accessing mental health and wellness services in particular can be a challenge, and every veteran has unique needs. Identifying those who require help and providing support to them must be done on an individual basis. And their location, as well as their cultural and linguistic identities, are added factors that must be understood and addressed when planning assistance.

Like the Legion, the Aboriginal Veterans Autochtones, the Assembly of First Nations, and the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations are committed to helping veterans. With support from the former groups, the Legion and the latter organization signed an agreement in early 2023 to collaborate to address these needs.

The Burns Way initiative uses technology to anonymously connect veterans with trained peers and clinical supports. It creates a safe and welcoming online environment in the hopes of comforting ingrained fears and apprehension, while filling service gaps for those who live in rural or isolated areas. It seeks to build trust and puts veterans in control of their wellness journeys.

The Burns Way was named after veteran Earl Burns, who died in September 2022 while protecting his family and community when his former son-in-law stabbed numerous people on the James Smith Cree Nation and in the nearby village of Weldon, Sask.

The Legion is fully committed to assisting this emerging initiative. To learn more about it, visit www.theburnsway.ca.