Don MacPherson

The president of the Belleville Legion and branch Legionnaire of the Year for 2007, Don MacPherson, has resigned on the eve of Remembrance Day.

MacPherson was suspended from his office by Ontario Command and ordered to apologize to the branch first vice-president for an incident that occurred in September.

"I won't apologize," MacPherson said in an interview Friday.He called the suspension a "slap in the face" and resigned Friday after five years as president of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 99.

MacPherson, who has been a Legion member for 31 years and has served in a variety of offices, said he will resign his membership of the 680-member branch, moving to another one.

"You spend 31 years of your life being truthful and honest," MacPherson said, "then you are expelled from the branch.It's hard to take."

It has left the Legion in turmoil.One executive member also resigned Friday and another said he will hand in his resignation Monday, in deference to Remembrance Day.

Ralph Collins, who was first vice-president when a row about staff issues came to a head between himself and MacPherson, is expected to move up to become president.
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MacPherson said some staff and other members of the executive had indicated they may resign, too.

Word of the ruckus and resignations is making its way through Belleville veterans' organizations, but MacPherson stressed that the internal problems of the Legion will not interfere with Remembrance Day ceremonies, which are under the direction of the Belleville Veterans Council.

"Everything will go on as planned," he said, including the Sunday evening Remembrance Day dinner at the Legion.
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MacPherson and Collins came to loggerheads over staff matters in September.
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It stunned MacPherson and some other members of the executive, who expected him to be reinstated as president.

MacPherson named Legionnaire of year
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Don MacPherson can often be found at the Belleville branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, but when it comes to the accolades, he doesn't have much to say about it.

MacPherson, the current branch 99 president and ex-officio on every committee, received the prestigious Legionnaire of the Year award Sunday at a ceremony kicking off Legion Week.But when asked what he does, MacPherson, 70, mainly talks about other people.

"I have great officers I work with," he said."They all work hard."
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"But (MacPherson) would never admit that."

The president also chairs the honours and awards committee, which made it difficult to hide the honour from him.Committee members convinced MacPherson that there was no one worthy of the award this year.

MacPherson went to Sunday's ceremony thinking no award would be presented.
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MacPherson, in his own words, was "dumbfounded."

Growing up in a coal mine town in Nova Scotia, there were no jobs available, so MacPherson joined the Canadian Guards regiment, he said.

He served 12 years and went on to work for the federal government and as a police officer.

He belonged to legions along the way, including being vice-president of a legion in Pte.Gatineau, Que., where he created controversy for being English.

He is also past president of the Belleville Veterans Council.

"We all think it's a good honour," said Don MacPherson, president of the Belleville Legion.He said he has talked with other members of the legion about it, and they all seem united in their support.

"There's not one that has said no," he said of the members of his branch."It's fantastic.

"We're so happy to have our fellow Legionnaires with us this weekend," Belleville president Don MacPherson said moments before Saturday morning's opening ceremonies.

Master of ceremonies, Don MacPherson, president of Belleville Legion Branch 99 and president of the Veteran's Council, said it is very important to honour those who served and are still alive, so they know their sacrifice is appreciated.