Terms of membership in Legion Riders
Eligibility
- All members of Legion Riders shall be current members in good standing with The Royal Canadian Legion.
- To become an official Legion Rider, members must register online
- Members do not need to own a motorcycle to be a Legion Riders member.
- Legion Riders members owning a motorcycle must have the motorcycle licensed and insured as required by Provincial law, at their expense.
- To join a Legion Riders Unit, Legion Riders members must register through the Branch.
- Members must sign the Legion Riders Release and Consent to join a Legion Riders Unit and participate in Unit activities.
- Membership and member contact information in Legion Riders may be tracked at the discretion of Dominion Command, Provincial Command, and/or the Legion Branch, and used to communicate Legion Riders news and activities. Member information will not be shared outside of the Legion without prior consent from the Legion Rider member.
- I, the undersigned, voluntarily participate in Legion Riders activities. The activities include, but are not limited to, riding in motorcycle events or fundraisers and other Legion Riders activities. I agree to assume the risk of all personal injuries, death, dismemberment and property damage that may occur to, or involving me as a result of partaking in the above activities. I, on behalf of myself, my personal representatives, my heirs and my estate voluntarily agree to release, waive and hold harmless The Royal Canadian Legion Dominion Command, The Royal Canadian Legion Riders Unit, The Royal Canadian Legion Branch or Command under whose jurisdiction the unit exists, all members of the organizing committee, sponsors, supporters, volunteers and all other associates with the event of and from all manner of actions, causes of action, suits, debts, claims and demands whatsoever arising from or in connection with Legion Riders and associated events for any and all claims arising from my participation in the above activities. This waiver also includes a ‘model release’ for photographs taken and audio/video recordings made while participating in the above activities.
- A group of Legion Riders may form Units and would be under the jurisdiction of the Branch to which the majority of the Unit members belong. There are no by-laws specific to Legion Riders membership.
- Units could meet in their Legion branch or other facilities.
- There is no ‘minimum participation’ required, and no cost to join (unless your Branch wishes to make unit membership a fundraising opportunity).
- A unique identifying crest, along with other Legion Riders items, can be purchased by members through the Dominion Command Supply Department.
Code of conduct
- All Legion Riders members shall strive to maintain the image of The Royal Canadian Legion at all times upholding our Aims and Objectives as well as our name and emblems.
- All Legion Riders units shall avoid the perception of being a “motorcycle gang or biker gang”.
Policy regarding outlaw motorcycle club colours
The Royal Canadian Legion has instituted a national policy that states the wearing of OMC (Outlaw Motorcycle Club) or street gang colours is not permitted at Legion events and premises, as this is contrary to the Legion’s Articles of Faith and disrespectful of the sacrifices made by our Veterans.
The Articles of Faith are founding principles that refer to important concepts such as loyalty to Canada and maintaining the rule of law. Our Veterans served and sacrificed to protect our way of life and our laws.
It is important to acknowledge that motorcycle club members – such as the Legion Riders - do a lot of supportive work for the Legion and in communities across the country. All motorcycle riders are still welcome at Legion branches and events, but the new policy means outlaw motorcycle members would need to remove their colours first.
The Legion’s Dominion Command has recommended that provincial and territorial commands hold educational sessions with local law enforcement officials to understand who the outlaw groups are in their regions.
Members of the Legion’s Dominion Executive Council from across the country voted to adopt the policy at their latest meeting in April.