Canada poppy campaign goes green ahead of Remembrance Day

With Remembrance Day just a couple of weeks away, Canada’s annual poppy campaign has begun.

The Royal Canadian Legion has introduced new initiatives this year with the hopes of breathing fresh life into the annual tradition.

“We’re really excited this year because we are introducing new biodegradable poppies and wreaths this year,” Nujma Bond, Royal Canadian Legion national spokesperson, said.

“So they’ve been a few years in the making and it’s taken a bit of time to find just the right mix of materials. It’ll take also a couple of years to basically use up the stock that we already have, but in a few years, all of the poppies and wreaths across the country will be biodegradable. And that’s really great because it’s reducing our environmental footprint, yet the poppies and wreaths still look as lovely as they normally do.”

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The biodegradable poppies look “just the same” as the old ones, Bond notes, adding the flowers are made of paper and cotton velvet. As for the wreaths, she says they have a mixture of materials, including bamboo and moss.

A comparison of an original poppy and a biodegradable one held in the hands of a volunteer in Calgary, Alta, on Friday, Oct. 28, 2022. (Taylor Bratt, CityNews photo)

Poppies are by donation and can be found in various locations across Canadian communities.

Another initiative the legion is bringing in this year is the launch of “Poppy Stories,” which aims to engage with Canada’s veterans.

“So what you can do is you take your smartphone and you go to poppystories.ca and then you’ll be asked if your phone can be accessed. Then you can scan your poppy … and up will pop a short anecdote, a story about a Canadian veteran.

“It’s really wonderful, you’ll get a chance to hear a little bit more, read a little bit more about the person’s past, their name, see their face, where they served, and a little bit about them personally, some of their passions. We really felt this was an excellent way to really build a connection to actual people, actual veterans who have served our country,” Bond explained.

In addition to the new initiatives, the Digital Poppy campaign is also back this year. The virtual program was launched in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic forced lockdowns.

Digital poppies can be dedicated and shared on a person’s social media through this program.

Create your 2022 Digital Poppy in support and remembrance of all Canadian Veterans. https://t.co/zDtcOmeYkv #GetYourPoppy #WeWillRememberThem #CanadaRemembers @RoyalCdnLegion @HomeEquityBank pic.twitter.com/Bjg0xTCo9Q

— The Legion National Foundation (@LNFCanada) October 28, 2022

For many communities across Canada, this year will mark the first time since the pandemic shutdowns that Remembrance Day ceremonies will be held at full capacity.

-With files from Taylor Braat and The Canadian Press