By Daniella Lurion, FSWC Director of Tour for Humanity

From the last Friday in October to Remembrance Day on November 11, millions of Canadians wear a poppy in tribute to their countrymen who served and sacrificed their lives fighting for Canada. While most in Canada attribute the symbol of the poppy to John McCrae’s famous poem In Flanders Fields, the poppy’s significance can be traced back to the Napoleonic Wars in the early 1800s. Historical records indicate that bright red poppies grew in barren fields over the graves of soldiers after the fighting ended.

In 1921, Anna Guerin of France was inspired by In Flanders Fields to create a French charity to help rebuild her decimated country. The charity created poppies out of fabric to raise funds. For its part, the Great War Veterans Association in Port Arthur, Ontario, adopted Guerin’s idea on July 6, 1921.

Today, the Royal Canadian Legion encourages the wearing of the poppy both for the weeks prior to Remembrance Day and for the funeral of a veteran or any memorial event. The poppy image has been trademarked by the Royal Canadian Legion, and in 1948, it was assigned protection through an Act of Parliament.

These safeguards also include specific uses for the poppy. The full list can be found HERE, but most notably state that the poppy: “…can never be placed where it can be walked on or be made into edible products.”  

Activities:

·       Royal Canadian Legion: Activities for Youth

·       Crayola: Remembrance Day Poppy Inspired by Georgia O’Keefe

·       Scholar’s Choice: Remembrance Day Activities for Every Grade