Legion Monopoly

Doesn't seem like a very nice observation, but it does appear that the Royal Canadian Legion is a grumpy bully. A symbol of caring remembrance that has world-wide recognition and which is respected and used internationally as a memento of the sacrifices that military men and women have made in the pursuit of democratic freedoms and liberty from despots and tyrants should be recognized as one to be freely shared by all who respect and value it.

Instead, the Royal Canadian Legion, that cranky old organization that insists on respect it withholds from others, is threatening once again to mount a legal suit against a group that has dared to use a tiny vestige of a poppy within a much more complex memorial used by the Canadian Veteran Freedom Riders, an Ottawa-based group of military veterans who have formed a motorcycle club among themselves.

Their logo, which has made an incidental use of the iconic poppy, appears on the back of leather vests worn by club members. The logo features the club's name and a large maple leaf. And ailhouetted against that leaf is the form of a soldier kneeling, holding a rifle balancing a helmet on the barrel. And upon that helmet is a poppy.

Horrors! Unauthorized use of the symbolic poppy and simply not to be countenanced. What's more, if it is not summarily removed, the club can be assured that the full force of copyright law will be brought to bear against them in a court of law. The Legion's appointed law firm is poised to act, having forwarded a warning to cease and desist, to the club.

The leader of the Canadian Veteran Freedom Riders, a former captain in the armed forces, is rather up in arms over the matter, and refuses to allow himself and the club to be bullied. "For me to be told that I can't wear a symbol that is known internationally ... is a slap in the face, it's an insult. I think it's heavy-handed by the Legion", said Michael Blow.

"I have no problem with the Legion selling the poppy or retaining the rights to sell the poppy. But they cannot tell veterans and others that they can't wear it." Ah, but the Legion feels otherwise, and feels vindicated in their perception, since under copyright law they may lawfully issue such cease-and-desist edicts.

They don't seem to care that they appear rather cranky and ill-tempered in this issue. They're in the business of revenue-collection as the acknowledged, lawful copyright owner.

"When they (people) become aware it is a trademark, we settle collegially ... in almost 98% of cases. There are some times when people don't agree and then the next step we have our lawyers send the copyright legislation and everything and advise them that here's the copyright provisions and policy and we go from there."

The Canadian Veteran Freedom Riders don't feel very collegial, given the circumstances of being brought up short, and ordered to remove that tiny, minuscule portion of their logo, meaningful to them and to all veterans, let alone the public at large. A use that is logical, emotionally satisfying to the group but which use the Legion seeks forcefully to deny them.

It puts a very ugly spin on the issue entirely. One feels somewhat less inclined to feel well disposed toward the Legion when it presents itself in such an uncompromising light. And Michael Blow, the former military man and current leader of the CVFR does garner sympathy when he declares: "I'm not going to apply for any use of the poppy. It's my right to wear it, as far as I'm concerned."

If anything, one might reasonably feel that as a veteran he has indeed earned that right.