Dear Editor,
Re: “A Remembrance Day to forget,” Letters, Nov. 18.
Open letter to Mr. Russ Davis:
The president, executive and membership of the Army, Navy and Airforce Veterans in Canada Unit 284 Steveston are appalled and deeply disturbed with your treatment at our unit on the most important day on our calendar.
Remembrance Day is a day of great meaning and importance, not only to our organization, but to all of Canadian society.
We note that you hoped to attend Unit 284 Steveston for precisely the reasons that you should have, to participate in the event with your community, to honour Canada’s war dead, to honour your very own father, and to impress upon your son the importance of the day, and possibly, to meet some of those veterans whom you wished to pay your respects.
Unit 284 Steveston failed you completely, and there is no excuse for the treatment you received at the hands of a paid employee. As we are not able to offer you even the remotest possible excuse, the executive and membership of Unit 284 Steveston hereby offer you a complete and unqualified apology.
Your experience is highly uncharacteristic of our unit, and the executive and club manager will be investigating your concerns with the highest level of priority, so that we may ensure that no guest in our club ever has reason to feel unwelcome at any time, for any reason, on any date.
The executive asks that you consider returning to Unit 284 Steveston with your son, at a mutually agreeable date, to dine with the highest level representatives of the club, so that we may hopefully fulfill your primary objectives of visiting our club in the first place.
Our club has been found wanting, and this situation is not one which our veterans wish to leave unanswered.
Please consider our humble offer, and provide a (hopefully) positive response if you choose. We will, however, respect any decisions you make.
Tom Brander, president
ANAF 284
