OTTAWA -- It is the first weekend of the national poppy campaign and it is also the 100th year for this symbol of Remembrance Day.
For this major milestone, a special pin to replicate the original 1921 cloth pin.
This year, close to 20 million poppies are expected to be handed out across the country. Volunteer Jacques Hamel has been at a grocery store in downtown Ottawa distributing poppies.
“We’re selling poppies for the Montgomery Legion," said Hamel. "And selling poppies to help out troops and our veterans.”
With many still working from home and office buildings sitting empty, the donations the Montgomery Legion relies on have all but disappeared.
“We were down about 60 per cent," said Lionel Lowe, Poppy Trust Chair for the Royal Canadian Legion's Montgomery Branch. "This year we are expecting it to be better but it isn’t anywhere near it was in 2019."
However, Lowe says he’s optimistic this year will be different as COVID-19 numbers remain low and more people return to the downtown core.
Last year the pandemic forced Remembrance Day ceremonies to be a virtual event. With the province easing COVID-19 capacity restrictions this fall, organizers say the National War Memorial will welcome back the public for the Remembrance Day service.
"The National Remembrance Ceremony will take place,” said Nujma Bond with the Royal Canadian Legion National Headquarters. "This year people are allowed to come to the National War Memorial to be a part of the ceremony as a spectator but they will have to practice social distancing and have a mask.”
Rain or shine, Hamel says he’ll be out on the streets asking for donations, sharing a poppy to preserve the memory of fallen soldiers and to help those who served our country.
"They need our support and here to do out best," said Hamel. “We’re here to do what we can.”
Canadian landmarks and community locations throughout the country will be lit in support of the poppy campaign. The poppy drop will cascade virtually on the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill every night until Nov. 11.
