Current members of the Canadian Armed Forces and RCMP can now display veteran licence plates on their vehicles in Manitoba, following regulatory changes announced by the province.
Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI), the provincial government, and the Royal Canadian Legion have amended eligibility criteria to broaden access to the specialised plates, the Crown corporation said Monday.
Previously, the definition of veteran included a three-year honourable service requirement for Canadian Armed Forces members, The Canadian Press reported.
Under the new regulations, current and former members of the armed forces, RCMP, and peace officers in special duty areas qualify for the plates. Individuals who completed military training and received an honourable discharge are also eligible. Members who participated in wartime service in the Merchant Marine and Ferry Command now qualify as well.
“What we are doing is expanding the definition of veteran,” MPI spokeswoman Tara Seel said. “We are handing this over to the Royal Canadian Legion because they’re the ones who know what a veteran is. They can be the gatekeepers for that.”
Since the program began in November 2004, MPI has issued 5,680 veteran plates across the province at no cost to eligible veterans.
RCMP Sgt. Major Bettina Schaible, the officer responsible for maintaining RCMP history and tradition in Manitoba, said it makes sense for RCMP members to be considered veterans because they have served in conflicts worldwide for 140 years.
“The RCMP is not only Canada’s national police force, we are the only police force in the entire Commonwealth that is also a regiment,” Schaible said.
She noted that members of the force have served in conflicts including the North West Rebellion in 1885, the First and Second World Wars, and Afghanistan from 2003 to 2014.
Cody Klassen, the provincial services officer for the Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario Command of the Royal Canadian Legion, told The Canadian Press that the changes have been under consideration for some time. The legion will manage eligibility criteria moving forward.
Klassen added that applicants for the plates are being encouraged to contribute $5 to the poppy fund to support veterans.
“The licence plates are a symbol of pride for the person’s service,” he said. “It lets people recognise they are a veteran and that they served their country.”
The City of Winnipeg allows motorists with veteran plates to park free on streets with paid parking, he added.
