By Dan Marshall

National poppy campaign kicks-off, stirs up war memories for many Canadians

Oct 28, 2016 | 10:56 AM

VICTORIA — Remembrance Day means different things to different people.

Many will wear a poppy and attend cenotaph ceremonies on Nov. 11. The national poppy campaign kicked off on Friday all across Canada.

Angus Stanfield, a past president of the BC/Yukon Royal Canadian Legion says Governor General David Johnston received the very first poppy of the year back on October 19. He says you’ll be seeing them everywhere now.

“The last Friday of October all across the province, indeed all across the country, mayors will be presented with the first poppy in their community, they run the poppy flag up the pole, and the campaign is on,” said Stanfield.

For Stanfield this time of year brings up memories of his father and grandfather, who both fought for Canada.

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“I never served in the military myself. My grandfather fought in the first World War and he came back pretty severely injured. It was an invisible injury but even as a kid I knew he had his nightmares and whatnot. My father served in the second World War. When he got towards the end of his life he lived with me and all of a sudden stories would come out, things that people just hold inside,” said Stanfield.

The Legion doesn’t have any set fundraising goal for the poppy campaign and the poppies themselves are free. However, Stanfield says donations are encouraged and Canadians always give generously. Money raised goes towards the support and needs of veterans and youth programs like cadets as well. More than just wearing a poppy, Stanfield hopes Canadians will reflect over the next several weeks on the sacrifice that our war veterans have made.

“It’s incredibly emotional. This country that we live in, which is arguably the greatest county on the earth didn’t come without quite a price. That’s where the remembrance is, we owe so much to all of the ones that were willing to stand up for what is right and just in the world,” he said.

Poppies will be available at most high traffic areas in the mid-island, like malls and restaurants.  

There are six local Legion branches between Ladysmith and Qualicum, including two in Nanaimo.