Legion won’t withdraw $500K poppy funding for Invictus Games despite outcry

[Prince Harry will be in Toronto on Monday to announce details of the 2017 Invictus Games which will be held in the Canadian city./Hello magazine]

The Royal Canadian Legion has no plans to revoke $500,000 it spent on funding an international sporting event, which it drew from its poppy fund, despite some outcry.

The money was directed to the Invictus Games, a multi-sport tournament that features disabled veterans from 15 countries. Founded by Prince Harry in 2014, this year’s tournament will take place in Florida, while Toronto will host next year’s event. The prince will be in Toronto next week to announce the details.

More than 600 wounded veterans from as far as Estonia, Afghanistan, Iraq, New Zealand and many other countries take part in the event.

Michael Blais, president of the Canadian Veterans Advocacy, a non-profit that helps improve the lives of vets, says he was “gob smacked” to learn the Legion was sponsoring the event through the poppy drive, rather than its member funds.

“The poppy fund is one of the purest funds to donate to a cause that exists in this nation,” he tells Yahoo Canada News. “When you go to the website, it makes no mention of sponsorship. This is for basic necessity.”

The Legion’s website states “all donations to the Poppy Fund are placed in trust to be used for the care and benevolent support of Veterans and their dependents… Grants are available for food, heating costs, clothing, prescription medication, medical appliances and equipment, essential home repairs and emergency shelter or assistance.”

“I think about how many people in distress would benefit from that profound amount of money and then compare it to the benefits from the publicity of the games,” he says. “How does that help veterans in crisis?”

Brad White, dominion secretary of the Royal Canadian Legion, says the games first approached the Legion to help fund the 2017 event. After the Legion’s council reviewed the request, it was approved.

“Unanimously the council, which has representation of all the provincial commands across the country, were supportive of us going forward and supporting the Games in 2017 in Toronto,” he says.

Between 2014-2015, 21 millions poppies were distributed, and $17 million from the poppy fund was allotted back to help veterans, he says.

White says the reaction from people who feel like the poppy funds are being misdirected demonstrates that people aren’t fully aware of how the donations are spent. While the funding is primarily meant for veterans who need a “hand up not a hand out,” he adds the money has also gone towards transitional programs for people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and Leave the Streets Behind, which focuses on helping homeless vets find housing.

“(The funding for the Invictus Games) is helping veterans,” he says. “It’s helping people make transitions…and brings awareness to the Canadian veteran community.”