The Royal Canadian Legion marks 100 years of the poppy in Canada
While many Canadians are familiar with the red poppy pins handed by the Royal Canadian Legion each November, not everyone knows its history, and how it became a symbol of remembrance in Canada 100 years ago.
The poppy’s legacy dates back even longer than a century ago, in 1915 during the First World War, when Canadian surgeon, Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae, immortalized the flower in his poem In Flanders Fields.
He was serving in Belgium, during the Second Battle of Ypres, and tending to wounded Canadian soldiers.
According to the Canadian War Museum’s senior historian Tim Cook, McRae was a gifted poet, and he also suffered from shell-shock, which is referred to today as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
“One of the ways he dealt with that war experience was by writing his poetry,” said Cook.
McCrae, like many soldiers in Belgium and France at the time, was struck by the resilient bright red poppies that continued to grow amid so much death and destruction, and wrote about them in his poem.
In Flanders Fields, the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
Cook says it was likely startling to see “the poppy emerging from and in contrast to a shattered landscape closer to the front,”
The poem was published later the same year in Punch Magazine, and was a smash hit in Canada and beyond. So much so, it several women, to begin making poppies that people could wear, as both a symbol and as a fundraising effort.
A French woman, Anna Guerin, started making cloth poppies to raise money for war-torn France. Later, she pitched the poppy pin to Britain and Canada.
“She presented that idea to the precursor to the Royal Canadian Legion in 1921, the Great War Veterans Association, and that idea was accepted,” explained Nujma Bond, spokesperson for the Legion. “Here we are 100 years later with the poppy that remains a striking symbol of remembrance in Canada.”
Guerin’s fabric poppies took off, throughout the commonwealth.
There was also an American woman, Moina Michael, who petitioned the American Legion to adopt the Poppy as a symbol of Remembrance. Today some Americans still wear them in the spring, near Memorial day.
The look of the poppy has evolved over the years. Today in Canada the it’s made out of plastic, while in the United Kingdom it is made of cardboard.
The Legion distributes the poppy pin each year during its poppy campaign leading up to Remembrance Day. The poppies are free, but it does take donations. This year it will distribute 20 million traditional poppy pins across Canada.
“All of the funds raised locally, are used locally,” says Bond, adding the money raised goes towards services to help veterans.
“They can receive emergency funding if they need it,” she said. “They can receive help and advice on where to go if they perhaps need some sort of peer support. They can also have help filling out their forms that they need to fill out to receive benefits from Veterans Affairs Canada.”
To commemorate the poppy's 100th anniversary in Canada, the Legion has issued a vintage replica of Guerin’s original cloth pin.
It’s also selling a limited edition digital NFT, a piece of online artwork called The Immortal Poppy.
“They actually gathered a genuine poppy from Flanders fields in Belgium,” says Bond. “That poppy was taken by an artist and reproduced digitally.”
Bond adds there are 100 copies available for purchase using crypto currency, and each is currently valued at $550.
“It’s a way to remember our veterans perpetually because this will remain online in the digital world forever.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.