Veterans Licence Plates

by **Colter** Sat 04 Aug 2018, 8:20 am

Legion looking to expand eligibility for veteran license plates

Published Friday, August 3, 2018

CTV Regina

by Ranger Wed 15 May 2019, 1:38 pm

New commemorative licence plate allows veterans to 'stand out'

The original goal was just to have the word 'vétérans' added to the existing design of the plates, but Premier François Legault pushed for more.

Katelyn Thomas • Montreal Gazette

Published Jul 26, 2019

After a decade of lobbying for a more distinctive licence plate, it’s become much easier to spot veterans on the road in Quebec.

Until recently, the commemorative licence plate for veterans was no different from an ordinary plate, save for a little poppy between the first and second set of characters.

Mario Grenier, who spearheaded the movement by forming a committee with three other veterans, said not everyone knows what the poppy stands for.

“We as veterans are now seen,” Grenier said. “People can identify us and say that these people went through something.”

The new commemorative licence plate, which became available on April 12, depicts the profiles of an older man and a younger woman, representing veterans past and present. Both are wearing helmets from the First World War, and to their right is a poppy field, representing blood spilled in battle. On the bottom left is the standard poppy, and on the top left, the word “vétérans.”

The committee’s original goal was just to have the word “vétérans” added to the existing design of the plates. But when the sample was shown to Premier François Legault and Transport Minister François Bonnardel, they said it didn’t adequately differentiate veterans from other drivers.

“They gave it back to the SAAQ and said, ‘No, we don’t want this plate. It’s not historical enough, it’s not visual, it doesn’t have any affect — it’s just a plate like any other plate’,” said Kenneth R. Ouellet, Royal Canadian Legion provincial president, Quebec Command. The Legion was brought in for consultation at the end of the fight for a new plate in order to approve the design.

Ouellet said after looking at veteran plates in other provinces and the United States for inspiration, the SAAQ produced 11 or so new designs with the help of an in-house artist and another “on the outside.”

Just one of 11 passed all the regulatory tests to ensure it adhered to highway codes and was able to be detected by radar, Ouellet said. When it was presented to the veterans’ committee, the CAQ government and the Royal Canadian Legion Quebec Command, everyone was pleased.

“It permits me to stand out,” Ouellet said. “It’s a unique plate.”

“When people see my plate, and see the back of my truck with my ribbons stuck on my window … now they know that I’m a veteran and they talk to me,” Grenier said. “I can explain to them that that’s what I did; I did missions, I went to war, and that’s why you’re safe here in Canada, because of what we did as veterans. That’s what we do.”

The CAQ government played an instrumental role in updating the plate, according to Grenier. It was one of the government’s campaign promises back in 2018, one they swiftly kept.

The commemorative plates are available for cars, trucks and motorcycles. Like standard Quebec licence plates, blue plates are for regular vehicles and green plates are for electric ones.

Due to the design, with the veteran profiles in the centre, the special plates can’t be customized.

Ouellet estimates 9,200 of the former design of veterans’ licence plates were in circulation in Quebec as of April 12. Veterans who have that version have been sent a letter asking them if they’d like to upgrade to the new design, free of charge. Veterans who never had a special plate but would like to request one can do so by completing the application available online at saaq.gouv.qc.ca (search: veterans). There is a processing fee, but the annual registration costs are not affected. Ouellet estimates between 3,500 and 4,000 applications have been made since April 12.

kthomas@postmedia.com

Twitter.com/katelynvthomas

Montreal Gazette

by **Accer** Tue 05 Nov 2019, 1:03 pm

Parksville man disheartened by notes on windshield saying he’s not a ‘real’ veteran

Anonymous messages at golf course said he should be ‘ashamed’ of special licence plates

CLOE LOGAN / Nov. 5, 2019

Ernie Peaker joined the Canadian Navy in 1969 and spent 34 years serving — often at his base in Esquimalt, but also as far away as Cambodia.

So, when Peaker saw a note on his windshield admonishing him for his veteran licence plates this summer in Parksville, he felt disheartened.

“Well I was at my golf course and I finished playing golf… I noticed there was a piece of paper on the windshield and it wasn’t very nice,” he said. “Basically it said you should be ashamed for displaying these plates, you’re taking away from real veterans.”

It happened not once, but twice, at the golf course.

“Now I just take take the notes and put them in the garbage, I don’t think twice about it,” he said. “I’m quite comfortable about being a veteran.”

It’s part of a misconception, Peaker said, that veterans who served when he did didn’t see real violence — that they’re not “real” veterans. Peaker said not only did he experience traumatic things while in the Navy, but he had to spend a lot of time away — sometimes 200 days at sea a year, “especially in the early days.”

“You know some people think because you had been in the service for a period of time, but had never seen action, that you’re not a real veteran,” he said, while sitting at his kitchen table wearing a shirt with “Navy Marine” embroidered in yellow thread. “There’s veterans that never stepped outside of Canada and have never been put in harm’s way and they deserve the same respect because they served and they were ready to go at a moment’s notice.”

Peaker joined the Navy when he was just 17 years old. While looking at a photo of himself taken at the beginning of his service, he can’t help but laugh while looking at how young he looks.

“Still a kid, just hardly shaving,” he said.

In more than three decades of time spent serving in the Navy, Peaker went around the world several times. He was awarded the Order of Military Merit by the Governor-General, a Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal and other accolades for his service.

“I’ve served with the United Nations in Cambodia in 1992 for six months and in 2001, after 9/11, we were the first Canadian warship from Vancouver to go to the gulf with the American battle group,” Peaker said. “We spent seven and a half months over there.”

Peaker points to his time in Cambodia as something that stands out for him.

“We were the United Nations transitional authority in Cambodia after they ousted Pol Pot,” he said, referencing the Prime Minister responsible for the Cambodian genocide, which killed an estimated 1.5 million to 2 million people. “The things I saw over there, no body should have to see, the atrocities, it’s still in my mind.”

Still, when Peaker looks back at his storied career, he feels grateful to have had so much of his life spent in the Navy.

“I never had any bad days in the Navy, just some were better than others,” he said. “I say to my buddies, if we had two Navys, I would have moonlighted in the second.”

cloe.logan@pqbnews.com

Parksville News

by Magnum Wed 06 Nov 2019, 4:54 pm

11.06.2019

by Logan Wed 27 Nov 2019, 8:30 am

In recognition our Canadian veterans, we’ve created a special plate to honour your service.

https://www.icbc.com/vehicle-registration/licence-plates/Pages/Licence-plates-for-veterans.aspx

by Jackal Wed 27 Nov 2019, 6:50 pm

Vancouver council backs proposal for free, year-round veterans’ parking

By Simon Little . Global News
Posted November 27, 2019

The City of Vancouver is investigating a plan to allow Canadian Forces veterans and serving personnel to park for free on city property.

Council voted Tuesday to have staff develop a plan for the initiative, which would apply to serving military members and holders of B.C. veteran licence plates.

The free parking would apply to metered spaces, Easy Park lots, Park Board facilities and community centres, subject to existing time restrictions, such as rush hour.

City staff have been directed to develop a plan by October 2020 for potential roll-out by Remembrance Day.

Vancouver already offers free parking to veterans and serving forces members in the week leading up to Remembrance Day.

The City of Surrey has offered year-round free parking at metered spaces to B.C. veteran licence plate holders since 2008.

Global News

by **Luxray** Thu 16 Jan 2020, 2:17 pm

Alberta's Support Our Troops licence plates raise nearly $2.5M for veterans

Published Thursday, January 16, 2020

https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/alberta-s-support-our-troops-licence-plates-raise-nearly-2-5m-for-veterans-1.4770365

by Monsfool Wed 26 Jul 2023, 6:53 am

Retired Mountie says Sask. veterans' plate program poses privacy risks

Rory MacLean . Published July 25, 2023

Veterans License Plate Steve-gloade-1-6493733-1690315491845

CTV News

by Sponsored content

Veterans License Plate

Veterans Licence Plates

Veterans License Plate

Re: Veterans License Plate

Re: Veterans License Plate

Re: Veterans License Plate

Re: Veterans License Plate

Re: Veterans License Plate

Re: Veterans License Plate

Re: Veterans License Plate