By Carol Baldwin
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Wakaw Recorder
Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada, was presented with the first poppy of the National Poppy Campaign during a ceremony at Rideau Hall on October 20th. Joining Mr. Berkley Lawrence, Dominion President of The Royal Canadian Legion, in presenting the Governor General with the poppy was Mr. Larry Murray, the Grand President of The Royal Canadian Legion.
On Wednesday, the Royal Canadian Legion in Saskatchewan kicked off its annual poppy campaign at Government House in Regina as Saskatchewan Lt.-Gov. Bernadette McIntyre received the first poppy from Roberta Taylor, president of the Royal Canadian Legion’s Saskatchewan Command. McIntyre’s mother served in the Royal Air Force in England as a radar operator and stated, “The poppy is a symbol of those who have served, and it’s also a symbol of those who are serving…We always remember November 11th. We always wore poppies. So for me to receive the first poppy is a thrill and a real honour.”
“Every dollar raised goes directly into the Poppy Trust Fund to support veterans across Canada, helping with rent, groceries, medical care and especially mental health supports for those dealing with PTSD. Our newer veterans, especially from Afghanistan, have very different challenges than before,” Taylor said. “Mental health is front and centre, now, and the Legion is there for that.”
Poppies will be available to the public beginning tomorrow at Legion branches, participating stores, and public venues across Saskatchewan. October 31st is the first day of the National Poppy Campaign, which ends on November 11th. Tap-enabled donation boxes will be located at Wakaw Pharmacy, Wakaw’s Lake Country Co-op grocery store and C-store, Long Lake Insurance, and Crossroads-Shell. One will also be located at Bigway Foods in Cudworth.
Since 1921, the Poppy has stood as a national symbol of Remembrance. The Dominion Command of The Royal Canadian Legion has registered the trademark of the Poppy image to safeguard the insignia as a symbol of Remembrance and a symbol for the Legion’s Poppy Campaign, which raises funds to support Veterans and their dependents. The People of Canada also provided enhanced protection to the Poppy insignia as a protected mark through an Act of Parliament in 1948. These measures were taken to ensure that the Poppy is not used for commercial or personal gain, and to protect it from inappropriate use.
When purchasing any items related to Remembrance, please ensure they are obtained from authorized sellers so that all proceeds support veterans. Nujma Bond, the national spokesperson for the Royal Canadian Legion, has stated that violations of the trademark associated with Remembrance Day symbols have increased due to the growth of e-commerce. The Legion now has the authority to directly remove infringing products from certain e-commerce platforms. In 2023, a total of 12,310 listings were removed from Amazon for trademark violations, according to the Legion’s report. Additionally, Bond reported 487 violations found on Etsy, 39 on eBay, and 40 on Meta platforms during the same year.
Individuals are encouraged to embrace the Poppy for their personal use. Creating a handmade Poppy to gift to a veteran, drawing a Remembrance Poppy to display in a window, or painting Poppies on stones to place on veterans’ graves are just a few of the many ways Canadians can keep the Poppy tradition alive.
The Legion has registered various versions of the Poppy image (including the lapel poppy, Poppy logo, as well as symbols and flowers) as trademarks. They have also registered the trademark “POPPY.” These rights prevent unauthorized use of the Poppy, especially in relation to veterans, remembrance, and fundraising efforts. The Poppy cannot be used as a symbol of remembrance for profit or personal gain, and any organization, group, community, or individual must obtain express written permission from Dominion Command for commercial or charitable display or public distribution.
Once again this year, the Legion is proudly presenting “Poppy Stories”, an initiative that allows Canadians to scan a lapel Poppy with their smartphone. With every scan, they’ll be introduced to a fallen soldier and learn a memorable piece of their story. The stories expand on where and how soldiers grew up in Canada, their family history, pre-war careers, and even some of their passions.
Visit PoppyStories.ca on your smartphone starting October 31.
Another initiative available to Canadians is the digital poppy. Available from October 31, 2025, to November 11, 2025, Canadians can ‘Stand with Veterans’ and create a Digital Poppy. Implemented by The Legion National Foundation, this initiative provides a simple yet meaningful way to honour Canada’s heroes and brings national remembrance into the digital lives of Canadians. Each Digital Poppy can be dedicated to loved ones, keeping their memories alive and showing support for Canadian veterans, and can be easily shared with friends and family on social media channels. To create a Digital Poppy, go to mypoppy.ca.
The Royal Canadian Legion’s Poppy Store, available on its website, offers a variety of poppy items to help Canadians honour and support veterans throughout the year. All products have received approval from the Dominion Command Poppy and Remembrance Committee, and the proceeds from sales contribute to Legion programs for veterans and their families.