Brett Martin describes himself as a young, liberal, free-thinking person.

But the Saint Mary's University student was outraged when he saw a Halifax pub capitalizing on Remembrance Day to sell its food and drink specials.

"I saw it on their Facebook page and I even called out to my roommate, 'This isn't right,'" he said.

Maxwell's Plum is offering $2.99 dark rum drinks and mugs of beer all day Friday, as well as a specially priced breakfast and fish and chips. The posts also featured poppies.

Not an excuse to get drunk

Martin, who is from the Moncton area, said Remembrance Day shouldn't be treated "like an excuse to get smashed."

(Facebook/Maxwell's Plum)

He said he commented on the pub's Facebook site and asked if any of the proceeds were going to support veterans' groups. The pub didn't answer his question and deleted his posts, he said.

"I shared it on my Facebook page and people started sharing it, and their posts on Maxwell Plum's Facebook were deleted as well."

By early Tuesday afternoon, Maxwell's Plum had dropped the Remembrance Day reference but was still advertising the special for Nov. 11.

Should benefit veterans

The pub owners did not return calls Tuesday.

Martin called the marketing move "unethical."

"I don't want to rip up the business — I like going there, it's a good place and they support local breweries — but if you're going to do that, it should be to benefit veterans. Like offering special prices to people in the military."