Each year in November, the poppy appears on coats, shirts, bags, and hats across the country in remembrance of those who gave their lives for Canada.
It’s a symbol as old as any of us, but how much do you really know about the poppy?
Why do we wear the poppy on Remembrance Day?
Shutterstock
The origins of the poppy as a symbol of death in wartime are as old as the Napoleonic campaign of the early 19th Century, with certain writings remarking on the huge numbers of poppies that would bloom following battles.
Later, during World War One, artillery strikes caused previously harsh soils to become rich with lime from the rubble of destroyed buildings, providing fertile ground for the common poppy to flourish. This, in turn, inspired Canadian war medic Lieutenant-Colonel John McRae to write his iconic poem, “In Flanders Fields.”
After hearing the poem, American teacher Moina Michael pledged to wear a poppy on her lapel to honour fallen soldiers. While visiting the United States, a French woman named Madame Guerin heard of the custom and decided to distribute handmade poppies to raise money for war orphans. The act caught on and in 1921, the Great War Veteran’s Association — the predecessor of the Royal Canadian Legion — adopted the poppy as the official Flower of Remembrance.
How and when to wear a poppy
If you’re unsure where to pin the official Flower of Remembrance, the Legion has a protocol to guide Canadians on how to appropriately and respectfully wear the lapel poppy.
According to the veterans’ organization, the flower should be worn on the left side, over the heart. As a sacred symbol of Remembrance, the Legion says it should not be affixed with a pin that obstructs the poppy.
The flower is usually worn during the Remembrance period, from the last Friday in October until November 11. The Legion also suggests people wear poppies at funerals of veterans, and for any commemorative event such as a memorial service, or the anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.
Where do the donations go?
Shutterstock
Donations accepted as part of the Legion’s Poppy Campaign are held in trust as part of its Poppy Fund. The fund supports currently serving and retired service members in a number of ways, from grants for food, heating costs, clothing, and prescription medication, to low-rental housing facilities, community medical appliances and medical research, and meals-on-wheels programs.
The money also goes toward preserving the memory of veterans through the construction and maintenance of various memorials and supporting the surviving spouses and families of veterans.
Whatever it’s being spent on, Canadians can guarantee that any money they donate is being used to support current and former military members across the country.
How can you help?
The Royal Canadian Legion is the most direct way for Canadians to support their veterans, and for those interested in putting a bit of pocket change towards the cause, there are a number of ways to help.
- Donate during the Poppy Campaign — Volunteers can be found on almost any street in Canada, while the official donation box can be found in stores across the country. Grab a poppy, pin it on, and drop in a dollar or two — everything helps.
- Donate at your local Legion Branch — If you’re looking to make a more direct donation, you can visit any branch of the Royal Canadian Legion and make your contribution in person. Find your local branch on its website.
- Donate to National Poppy Trust Fund — The Royal Canadian Legion Dominion Command accepts donations year-round through cash, money order or cheque payable to the Dominion Command Poppy Trust Fund. You can send your donations to:The Royal Canadian Legion National Headquarters
86 Aird Place
Ottawa, Ontario
K2L 0A1