The Nelson man who campaigned unsuccessfully for a statue honouring Vietnam war resisters is still going ahead with plans for a celebration of U.S. draft dodgers next summer.

Isaac Romanow says he has long wanted to commemorate the tens of thousands of Vietnam war resisters who came north to Canada.

Isaac Romanow (File photo)
Isaac Romanow (File photo)

But his idea of a statue honouring them sparked an angry backlash from American veterans' groups last year.

Romanow and other organizers backed away from that plan. But he's not backing away from next summer's two-day reunion for war resisters and other anti-war activists – including veterans from Vietnam and Iraq.

"We are in touch with veterans' peace groups in the U.S., Veterans for Peace, being the primary group which will be present and individuals will be participating and some of their members will be in our panel discussions."

Model of statue that triggered angry reaction from U.S. veterans' groups
Model of statue that triggered angry reaction from U.S. veterans' groups

It's estimated that as many as 125,000 Americans avoided military service by coming to Canada during the Vietnam War.

Some U.S. Veterans groups are angry about the planned reunion. Jerry Newberry of the Veterans for Foreign Wars says it's insulting to the thousands of U.S. soldiers who died in Vietnam.

"To honour in any way, be it a statue or celebration of any kind, those who chose to flee their homeland, to avoid service to the country that gave them their freedoms is beyond our scope of understanding," he says.

"Too many of us lost friends to have much good regard for the people who want to organize something like this. Especially to do it while our nation is at war."

Despite the criticism, Romanow says he's optimistic the reunion will help old adversaries reconcile past differences.

"There's the opportunity to reflect and ask why did good people leave? That will help the process of healing in the U.S."