Veterans advocates are appalled by an operation called Canada Veterans that they believe is exploiting both the country’s military symbols and those who have served.
“To think that [someone] would stoop so low to use national sacrifice as a venue to profit is disgusting,” said war vet Michael Blais.
Up until Thursday, the website was selling via its website military memorial products such as a poppy brooch and “Lest We Forget” shirts.
The Royal Canadian Legion says this gives the impression that war vets are behind the business, when it has found no evidence to support this. Instead, it believes the company is a for-profit operation that’s duping customers into thinking they’re supporting Canadian veterans.
“It’s exploitive in the worst sense,” says Peter Underhill, director of supply with the Royal Canadian Legion. “[The word] ‘disgust’ comes to mind that people would use veterans and Remembrance as a method to defraud Canadians. It’s pretty awful, actually.”
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