Executive ousted at legion in Penticton

Branch leadership removed by BC Yukon Command for 2nd time in 6 years

Veteran Jack William stood outside the Penticton branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, shaking his head in disbelief.

BC Yukon Command arrived at the branch Friday morning and relieved the entire executive of its duties.

William, who did three tours of duty with the Canadian Armed Forces, was the only member of the executive still sticking around. “Nobody saw this coming,” William said. “A large part of the problem from here is rooted in personal politics. The legion was being turned around by the new executive. We were losing less and less money every month, and some people didn’t seem to like that.”

Over the past several years, Branch No. 40 welcomed many new and younger members by catering to their musical tastes and replacing large billiard tables with bar-sized tables. In August 2016, the branch celebrated Pride Week in recognition of its LGBTQ members.

Ivo Jaager spent three years as president and remained active in the branch in the role of past president. Krys Klimuk, who has an accounting background, became president in March following the abrupt resignation of Bob Sudbury. Three senior officers above Klimuk declined the presidency and resigned from the board.

William said the Penticton executive has not been told what they did wrong.

BC Yukon Command vice-president Craig Thomson said the branch will remain open and it’s “business as usual” in Penticton.

“BC Yukon Command is doing an administrative review and we are putting in a new management team at the branch on a temporary basis. It will be set up within the next couple of days. That’s it,” said Thomson, who resides in Kamloops.

He delivered the news to the branch along with Wayne Knight from Okanagan Falls.

Thomson declined comment on what concerns or issues Command had with the executive. “That’s an internal issue,” he said. Trustees taking leadership of a branch is not a unique situation, he said.

“It’s a tool that BC Yukon Command has to address issues that may come up from time to time and in certain places. It’s just to get things in line with the way they’re supposed to be.”

A committee was recently struck to explore options for relocating the branch. Among the venues being explored is a joint partnership with the Penticton Elks Lodge.

This is the second time in six years that Command has stepped in at Branch No. 40. The entire executive was removed in May 2012 and replaced by trustees.

Veterans groups in Penticton are struggling. The Army Navy and Air Force Veterans in Canada closed operations shortly after Remembrance Day due to declining attendance and a series of financial irregularities.