Royal Canadian Legion delegates from commands, branches and sections are invited to assemble their delegates in Edmonton for the 45th dominion convention, June 14-18.

“I’m told to expect between 1,100 and 1,200 people. That’s delegates and guests,” said Local Arrangements Committee Chairman Mac Torrie.

The convention will be held at the Shaw Conference Centre overlooking the North Saskatchewan River Valley, the largest stretch of urban parkland in North America.

Using the theme Challenge, Opportunity, Change, the convention will get underway on Saturday when registration opens from 1 to 5 p.m., continues Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Monday from 8 to 10 a.m. The registration fee is $50 for delegates and $15 for observers. Payment is in cash only.

Branches are allowed one accredited delegate for every 100 ordinary, life, associate and affiliate-voting members, or fraction thereof. Any delegate accredited by the branch of which he is a member may carry up to four proxy credentials. The proxies may be from any branch or branches within the delegate’s own command and must be registered at the opening of the convention. Delegates must have their dues paid up to Dec. 31, 2014.

A credential certificate is included with the convention call which was issued in an all-branch mailing in December. It is to be completed indicating the number of delegates and proxies for the branch and forwarded to the provincial command office.

According to the General By-laws all resolutions must be received by Dominion Command 112 days prior to the opening of the convention. That means they must be forwarded to the provincial command office and received at Dominion Command by Feb. 23.

Late resolutions will be considered by the Dominion Executive Council meeting prior to the convention but only those resolutions deemed to be urgent will be presented to the convention for consideration.

Events begin Sunday with a parade assembling at 12:30 for a march off at 1 p.m. The parade will march to City Hall Plaza in front of the Edmonton cenotaph. “After the service the parade will march off, turn on Jasper Avenue and go right into the convention centre,” said Torrie. “We’ll have a band playing as the pr ovincial contingents enter the centre.”

Opening ceremonies will start at 3:00 p.m. Edmonton branches will be open for social activities afterwards.

Business sessions start on Monday at 8:30 a.m. The Exhibitor and Supply Sales Area will be open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday and Tuesday and 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday.

The elected officers will be installed at approximately 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, followed by closing ceremonies.

Something new for this year’s convention is that Dominion Command has been working with Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT), one of the Legion’s Member Benefits Package partners, to help make travel arrangements easy. CWT will assist in booking flights, arranging transfers to downtown hotels and provide options for hotel accommodations.

The cost is $35 per person for all air, transfer and hotel accommodation bookings and $15 per booking for anyone driving and booking a hotel only. CWT will also arrange post-convention tours for those who would like to see more of Alberta.

The Legion has reserved blocks of rooms at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald, Courtyard by Marriott, Chateau Lacombe Hotel, Holiday Inn Express Downtown, Matrix Hotel, Days Inn Downtown, the Coast Edmonton Plaza Hotel, Delta Edmonton Centre, Sutton Place Hotel and the Westin Edmonton. Those attending are responsible for their own arrangements. The deadline date for making hotel reservations is April 25.

CWT is working with both Air Canada and Westjet to offer special discounts on flights. Group blocks of flights have been reserved for Toronto, Halifax, St. John’s, Montreal and Winnipeg.

The Edmonton International Airport is located 30 kilometres south of downtown Edmonton. Taxi fares are approximately $55 or $66 for a limousine. The Edmonton Skyshuttle is $18 per person one way or $30 round trip. The travel time to downtown is one hour to one hour and 20 minutes depending on traffic and the number of passengers.

While in Edmonton visitors may want to visit the Fort Edmonton Park, the Edmonton Valley Zoo or the Alberta Aviation Museum. There are also lots of shopping areas, including the downtown, Old Strathcona and the West Edmonton Mall, North American’s largest entertainment and shopping centre.