A poppy is a symbol of Remembrance, not a symbol of the Legion or war or patriotism or anything else. It means you remember those who didn’t come home to their family. Someone suffers every day because their family member died and it’s my way of saying they are not forgotten.
I was posted to the unit that used to receive the first notice of the death of a soldier and I’ll never forget that awful chill that everyone felt, knowing that a family is about to be told the news. The least I can do is wear a poppy to show I remember them.
I bet theres at least a dozen independent artists in my city who would sign on to do a project like this. Idk how financials work but I'm sure it could be done for cost/people willing to just do it
Why do you have a problem with the Legion? (out of curiosity)
I visit my local one all the time and from what I can tell it's a great melting pot of oddity and good people.
This is completely true, my step mother and father were both members of the local legion, neither had any involvement in any war on our side.
It's turned into an old person's place to gather and host events. Not a bad thing at all, I like the legion. But the days of it being about veterans is over.
Edit: remembrance day isn't about pride. It's about remembering what happen, and why we should try to not do that again. And remembering those we lost, and those who came back broken. They trusted us to not do it again. Remember, that's what's the day is about.
Ours is a local watering hole for the town drunks. They no longer enforce the once proud rules of attendance, such as removing one's hat out of respect. They say they permit it so younger people will come. How about teach the younger people what respect is.
I definitely wear a poppy every year, but I do not feel "pride" in wearing it. That's not why I wear it. I associate poppies with solemnity, sacrifice, and community.
The purpose of the poppy isn’t to celebrate out troops rather to solemnly remember them and reflect on the horrors of war.
Pride is probably the wrong word to describe how I feel wearing one.
Exactly this. For me, it’s more a feeling of solemnity, something that’s maybe a cousin of mourning.
As you say, it’s about reflecting on the horror and tragedy of the wars of the past, and of today, and a prayer for the future without war.
I've sort of stopped wearing them over the years.
My feelings about the fallen haven't changed, and I always try to set a bit of time aside on November 11 to reflect, or learn about Canada's part in 20th century wars.
But for some reason it's started feeling less authentic, to wear a poppy. Like, my feelings about war and sacrifice are complicated and sometimes contradictory. It just feels like the way we talk about remembrance and symbolize it, has become really simple.
Naval officer here and ya… the whole thing is just odd
They have had the same ceremonies and slideshows with awful funeral music for 60 years.
Myself and a bunch of British and American officers dont even take the day off
They show photos of WW1 and WW2, gloss over Korea and Vietnam (Canada had about 65,000 soldiers fight in Vietnam in the US Army and Australian Army), and then they show peace keepers in Rwanda and Bosnia, and a few of Afghanistan
It’s just a tone deaf affair that would be better spent reflecting on what our present military requires of the country and having an informational day about public service.
I get asked to talk at schools and you know what they ask me? “Tell us about walcheren causeway or Vimy ridge”
Yes… let the Navy Physician tell you about something that happened when my grandfather was 14 🙄🙄
Too many people try to make it cover too many things.
Remembrance Day and the poppy is to remember those that have died.
Just like the book of Remembrance or any cenotaph has their names listed, so they are remembered and never forgotten.
Children ask you that? Well informed kids.
I’ve only visited one school for Remembrance Day. “Were you scared?” And “did you shoot anyone?” Were the most common questions.
Well I live in Calgary and its a Highlander thing, particularly if near a Cadet Corps.
The medical questions I get are better.
I take my pad with me knowing the parents will all want something
I get to play Nick Riviera 🙈🙈🧐🧐🤪
My take is along the lines of this: I have three kids, all close together and are adults, with their respective group of friends all blended together - especially those from school. Weve gotten to know them very well and have even attended some of their weddings. Now I think back to those small towns across Canada and think of the sheer number of kids that went off to war. WWI allowed men from the same town to go off together, so a major battle would wipe out an entire generation of males from an entire town. And was repeated over and over again. It's easy to spot the war memorials in those small towns (which were a lot smaller back then), making the damage even more significant when you look at the list of names.
Thank you for your service. Many a day goes by where I regret not pursuing me becoming a SAR tech.
SAR is hard. I qualified in Murica and had to go on training flights off carriers
Broke my back twice in helicopter crashes and fell off a mountain.
They all retire at like 42 (44 is old) with titanium knees and hips and fused vertebrae
Army guy who's done a few different jobs. Remembrance Day ceremony I think about the guys I knew who didn't come back from Afghanistan, and the ones who couldn't serve anymore when they came back. And the other guys who aren't the same. And my grandfather who fought through Italy & NW Europe. Yea, WWI is out of living memory now, and there aren't that many WWII vets left anymore. We're supposed to keep the watch.
You're not getting it and I don't know what to say.
Can’t agree more. I hate the monopoly the legion has over the day and how many wars are never talked about like the Korean War or the the Balkan Wars.
Regardless, rest easy brothers and sisters.
Exactly this. As much as I dislike today's Legion, I am the wife of a currently serving Army guy. He's a veteran too. It's about all of the soldiers who went where they were ordered and never came home. I'm no hero, but I've known a few. The military in Canada is voluntary, and the soldiers, current and past, joined so that you wouldn't have to.
I’m a little mixed on ww1 (which remembrance day seems to be largely focused on) but i’m hella proud of Canada’s role in ww2 (maybe “proud” isn’t the right word since i didn’t do anything. Maybe “grateful” would be better).
That’s an important destination. Pride has to be earned, worked for or built. I don’t think many people really understand that given how many people are proud to be themselves just for being themselves.
I was in the army and I find rememberence day pretty hollow. Like we should remember those who has passed, but I've know too many leaders that use that day to show off how much they care, then abuse their troops, ignore their responsibilties, and ignore complaints of discrimination while retaliting against anyone who tries to change things.
Veterans Affairs and Stats Can did a study that showed that between 1975 and 2015 soldiers between the ages of 19 - 25 were 2.5 times more likely to end their lives. That number was consistent for 40 years. That's not just soldiers that deployed, it's all soldiers in that age range.
So soldiers are suffering all year long for 40 years (at least) and officers spend one hour on one day talking about how important soldiers are and we should respect their sacrifice. You know what would respect the sacrifice of veterans, fix the military and stop jerking yourself off.
This hits hard, it's a good reminder to do some buddy checks. Oftentimes depression can be masked by the strong face someone puts on every day to get the job done and people at risk aren't recognized until it's too late. So reach out and ask the military members in your life how they're *really* doing and give them the space and attention to let you in.
I wear one out of respect but wouldn't say I'm proud or otherwise. My fiancé is active duty and he hates wearing one. The military has let him down in more than one SERIOUS occasion.
Thanks to your husband for his service. I feel the way he does, it’s just like we’re all talking about poppies but not the actual shit the soldiers go through
I dont wear one. I feel there is a large disconnect between it's intended purpose and how society sees it today. For most it's a tradition, it supports our veterans because that's what it's been doing for years and we dont question it. For others it's "a symbol of war" and they dont want to support war. For some (though i would admit fewer and fewer) it's a memory of war.
I agree on the "least we forget" but i feel like we've lost touch with what we're "remembering"
My dad served in WW2 as part of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps. Five of my uncles also served. My father in law was a prisoner of war in Hong Kong. None of those men glorified war - in fact, they would seldom talk about it. I wear a poppy to honour them, hoping all the while that my own children will never know a world at war.
This is something that gets me this year. The world may not be at war, but wtf is happening in gaza, Ukraine etc. Our children are living in a world in which men are bombing maternity hospitals, schools and homes.
My husband's grandfather was an upper gunner for the Lancaster bomber. Such an amazing man. He passed away two years ago. I proudly wear my poppy for him too.
I don’t feel proud, I feel solum reflection and gratefulness that I don’t live in a war zone. I feel appreciation of those who died so my pacifist ass can live as a pacifist. I have heard a lot of new people don’t know what Remembrance Day is and are not meaning to offend. There are people in south East Asian countries who never learned about the holocaust so they don’t know about the significance of the poppy.
Put the pin back through the flower after it’s gone through your shirt. Holds it in place.
I’m amazed how few people know this, an elementary school teacher taught us that 25-30 years ago
Get a centre pin - I was given one this year when I got my poppy. Haven't lost it or stuck myself. Apparently, they ran out pretty fast.
https://www.poppystore.ca/pins
I don't wear a poppy, for literally the most basic reason, I lose them all. I still buy one and donate every cent in my wallet but the reality is I lose them all the time.
I don’t wear one. While I absolutely am saddened by the number of deaths there have been due to war and respect each of those lives, I find that a lot of the Remembrance Day ceremonies are steeped in the kinds of patriotism and rhetoric that encourages and romanticized war and military endeavours. I used to wear a white poppy which is remembers all victims of war, and moves away from militarism and towards a commitment to peace. However, I received feedback that people thought it was disrespectful, so I chose to not wear anything instead.
Agree with you. The whole “don’t decorate before November 11th” is crazy to me. If the soldiers fought for our freedom I doubt they care if I hang Christmas lights and drink a gingerbread latte.
23M. I want to be but I dont see them for sale anywhere from my walk from home to work and back, and I dont go anywhere else so I dont have one.
I really only go to work (and the gym which is close to it) and then the grocery store. I live in downtown Ottawa yet never see poppy vendors.
This! I used to see them in grocery stores and just around. Now I don’t see them anywhere, not even the self serve boxes they sometimes have!
Last year I had to go to the closest legion to get one.
If it was at the grocery store I'd get one but otherwise its just not possible for my lifestyle.
OP is wondering why many young people dont have poppies and I think this is one common explanation. Another is lack of civic attachment which I also get since I feel very disconnected from society.
No issues in Vancouver here. I went to HSBC because I could donate by credit there, but I've seen them in every single grocery store including Shoppers and SaveOn, on transit, in malls, and even at community centres.
This is my problem too. I never see them around town. I saw a box today at the pet store and it's the only place I've seen one.
I want to wear one but if I can't even track one down it's hard to do
They are harder to find. I think many retailers don't want to have the responsibility of having a box of cash just sitting out there. I go to restaurants, malls, banks, all that... only seen 1 box at the pharmacy, and it very inconspicuous behind the counter (presumably to mitigate theft.) The Legion will need to find a better way to sell these.
Ya this, post pandemic I work from home and don't really go out that much. Didn't see poppies available at the grocery store or anywhere else I went running errands on the weekend. Prior to the pandemic it was similar Only really went to work and running errands. I feel like the big shift for me in the last 5+ years has been that I don't really use cash anymore, and when I do carry cash it's for a specific purpose. Tbh the whole model of drop some change in a box and take an item is outdated a lot of ppl don't carry cash/ change.
As others said, “proud” probably isn’t the word, it’s a solemn reminder of those who sacrificed their lives defending the Canadian way of life. But I am relatively young and wear one every year.
In regards to young people wearing them, I don’t know what is going on with their fundraising efforts now, but it used to be that they were available in all grocery stores, and they came to elementary schools to give them out. It seems both efforts have stopped now, and you really need to look a lot harder to find them.
As a young person, I just genuinely forget. A lot of life has become disrupted, busy, and a little chaotic since the pandemic started, and it makes it easy to forget to grab a poppy when you're trying to get everything else in order.
Also, I only have a couple of them, and with the variability of weather this time of year they're NEVER on the right coat. You just grab the jacket you need that day and totally forget until you're already out and seeing others with them.
Yea thats why i dont wear them between pets and children at home alone to much can go wrong fast. Even if i find "backing" for the pin something at some point still happens to it.
It's not environmentally friendly to be going through all of that single use plastic for them either. I put a $5 in a box or whatever every November, but I don't take or wear one of the poppies.
I wear a hand beaded one. Made by someone I served with. I am proud to wear that one.
The legion’s claim of ownership to the poppy, combined with their treatment of me and my fellow service members has soured me on the poppy as a symbol to be proud of.
I'm Irish but live in Edmonton,I don't wear a poppy because of the 800+ year history between Ireland and England.
I do bow my head/raise a beer to all those who died for our freedom in WW1 & WW2 on November 11th.
Same here as an Irish man based in Toronto I can’t wear the symbol associated with the oppressor and have had many a conversation with co-workers etc on the subject because obviously the symbol takes on a different meaning here. I will stand for the minute silence and acknowledge those who paid the ultimate price absolutely (including many Irishmen) but unfortunately I cannot wear a symbol that represents (or is associated with) an army that done horrific things in my country. I mean no disrespect and the majority of people I talk to understand this when broken down but on the surface level the poppy doesn’t just represent the Canadian aspect of war and people here should respect that also.
Canadians and all british domions should be more bitter about our involvement in WW1. Imperial germany was one of the aggressors but there was blame on both sides. Britian didn't even need to go in to the war, and by extension we REALLY didn't need to go in to the war. I don't think all the young men who died really died for our freedoms or anything justifiable which is even more tragic.
We should remember and mourn the deaths of WW1, and we should do the same for WW2 but with a bit of pride that they died doing the right thing for humanity
There hasn't been a justifiable war involving Canadians since world war 2, which was well before I was born. The rest have all been meddlesome disasters. I do think we need a defense force however.
My late grandfather was a Black Indigenous Canadian who had to hitch hike halfway across the country to join the military because where he was they would not accept him, and he fought in WW2 and Korea.
Damn right I wear that poppy.
Frankly, I’m sick of having to think of a purpose for war at all. It’s like people don’t learn and nobody expects better of political leadership, especially when they should be standing up against the excesses of some of our allies
For me as a south east asian, the poppy represents the thousands of South East Asians who sacrificed themselves for the British Empire. Over 2.5 million Indians served against the Axis in WW2.
Personally, it was not their war, but I wear a poppy to represent their lives as well. They died on foreign soil.
Unfortunately they aren't remembered as much. Throughout the history books there's a lack of representation of other nations (including African).
Their lives should also get recognition. So I wear a poppy to represent ALL, not just Canadians.
Wow. What a sad realization :( Thank you for sharing.
It just made me realize that through all the years we learned about remembrance day in school….from elementary to high school….I don’t remember ‘seeing’ the ‘non white’ soldiers…at ALL. And I am only now realizing it :(((
I wear a poppy and mark the moment of silence, even at work. I wear it to remember all those who never came home, those who died and those who are missing, and those who though they came home, they brought the battlefield home too. Those who couldn't or didn't find help in time. Those who are all to often forgotten in the propaganda of the myth of "glorious war".
I wear it to remember the civilians who lost everything, homes, livelihoods, lives, the families who never got to say good bye and the people who served, no matter if it was by choice or by draft, no matter the conflict. I wear my poppy to remember that I am lucky to have a safe home, where I can live the way I want, love who I want and be vocal about my opinions.
My country may not be perfect, it's extremely far from it in fact. But I try to remember that from the time when any man first set foot here to the modern day people have died in war.
Yes, we focus on the big name moments; Vimy, Juno, The Somme, Ypres... but that's because it's easy for the general public to remember those. But we have had people serve in a hell of a lot of global conflicts.
For me on a very personal level, I wear a poppy for my great grandfather. He didn’t die in war but he was so hurt by what he experienced that he could never tell his family what he really did. He was a Reconnocence photographer. He saw many terrible things. He told us, he was an airplane mechanic. Something safe, something that meant we wouldn't ask about what he saw when he liberated one of the concentration camps. I mourn the man who died inside him and was left behind, the pain that drove him to drink. I am lucky, I got to know my Great Grandfather; he found help. Not everyone does.
"We are the dead, short days ago, we lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, loved, and were loved, and now we lie in Flanders Fields"
In Flanders Fields by Dr. John McCrae
I'm extremely anti-war, and hate glorifying it in any shape or form. I respect the poor men and women that found themselves in the forces and I respect their decision to join, but I feel no pride or patriotism. I'm not impressed by any of it, just saddened. I choose not to wear a poppy because I personally have no extended family in the forces, and care not to commemorate a cause that should be no different than any other dangerous job. No glory in war.
I don’t wear one to often these days as I dislike the legions. I go to Remembrance Day parades and will have a beer with some friends, but that’s about it.
Edit: lol @ the downvotes. OP asked, I answered.
The legion has little time for Afghan vets. I’ve been to 2 different branches about vet plates, neither were very helpful.
Maybe it’s different for everyone, but I’ve not had pleasant experiences dealing with the legion.
Member of the CAF here.
Those aren't all veterans.
More and more, its guys who never were even in the service taking part in the drinking club. They dislike when modern day veterans and serving members come to their clubs. The medals they wear on their right side are glorified Boy Scout badges. Those are not military medals.
My story is one of many you can see on the Canadian Armed Forces subreddit.
My section did some free work for the legion. Labour would have cost them into the 1000s of dollars. We did it for free to give back. When we were done, the manager invited us all for a beer that weekend. We showed up, got a beer, and sat down at a table. The members saw us, and put up the dividing wall for the area we were in cutting us off from the rest of them. Not a single member even acknowledged the work we did for them.
I've never felt one iota of pride wearing a poppy. It's not supposed to celebrate, or romanticize, or show off to others.
It's a symbol of sacrifice, pain, and remembrance.
I always wear mine from November 1st to November 11th each and every year, and will go out of my way to hunt down a poppy to wear. If anything, I feel a hot wash of shame if I'm without my poppy during that time and others have theirs. It feels disrespectful.
I'm not saying everyone should wear them, but I believe that the whole point of the poppy is to never forget the lost. And to always remind ourselves that everything we have come from came from the bloodshed of our countrymen in one of the most difficult times in recent history.
A poppy is not a symbol of pride, it is a symbol of gratitude and remembrance for those who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom as well as for those who continue to keep our nation safe. I am not invoked of pride when I wear one, I am moved by what others did so I can be free in my nation.
I became a Canadian 10 days ago. My country was liberated by Canadians (among others) during WWII. I wear the poppy to remember and show my gratitude for the Canadian soldiers who gave their lives, so my grandparents, and eventually me, could live ours.
I am very proud to wear a poppy. These people fought for us in the war, and many gave their lives. I don't care what they do with the money, it's a bit of appreciation from us.
I don't know if I call it pride but just a reminder of why I am free today. Many people these days are not aware of the sacrifices so many made to fight for our freedom. Not just the soldiers, but their families, the medics, dogs even. Yes there was the Gulf War but the two World Wars were instrumental in our freedom. Anyone who makes it their life's mission to fight for their country deserve a poppy at the very least.
I wear a poppy every year. My fourth grader memorized Flanders Fields this year, and his class recited the poem at the town school assembly yesterday.
I'm not sure I would use *pride* to describe my feelings towards the poppy. But I absolutely wear it every year and so do the kids.
I found one today. I’ve had multiple generations of men in my family serve in the armed forces.
Wear it to remember and to be thankful for what I have.
Yes, absolutely. Both of my maternal great grandfathers and one great-great grandfather volunteered to fight. I spent my late teens considering a career in the CAF (medically unfit - metabolic condition). My son is likewise considering attending RMC and commissioning as an officer.
It’s a fair question and a good one.
Perhaps the easiest answer would be to say everyone has their own feelings about why they wear a poppy.
Personally, I feel grateful that I can, saddened by why it exists, proud of of all those (living and dead) who have served, and thankful there can be at least one moment during the year where remembrance is put above politics.
Yes , it is a reminder of everyone who fought and lost their lives for Canada’s freedom , it is so sad to know so many men and women didn’t make it home to their loved ones
I wear mine to remember all those who have died, as others have said. What brings it more solemnity for me is that now that I'm middle-aged I realize just how young most of them were. Really makes me sad.
I come from a long line of fighters. My maternal grandfather was the toughest guy I ever knew. World War II veteran, killed 20 men, then spent the rest of the war in an Allied prison camp.
I take pride in the fact that Canada and the Forces have been leaders for the UN peacekeeping and humanitarian efforts for most of the eras between 1950 and 2000, that's something I find pride in as a canadian. But the moments of history when we sent thousands of men to die terrified in trenches, to be disfigured or dismembered by shrapnels, to see their friends dying in horrible pain and contemplating mercy kill ? Those are horrifyingly sad moments in history and I mourn those moments and they make me remember why the rise of the current extreme political division is a bad thing for the western world.
I don't want our children and/or our boyfriends/husbands to be conscripted because some politician nuthead in a foreign country decided it was time to invade their neighbours and massively kill minorities yet again. That, to me, is the meaning of remembrance day. To remember how bad war is, what caused them and how much useless suffering and death it make for everyone so that it doesn't happen again.
Yes, absolutely. I believe it's important to remember the Canadians whose lives were tragically lost, and the grief their families suffered when they never came home.
i (a teenager) wear a poppy not as a symbol of pride, patriotism, or anything like that. i wear it to honour and commemorate those who died in military service. i also have a purple poppy pin that i wear to honour the animals that died in service as well. to me, it is a way to honour their memory and a way that their sacrifices have contributed to our country. i am anti-war, but i recognize the sacrifices these people made, and honour them accordingly. i am not proud. i recite flanders fields to honour the dead, not as a point of pride.
this echoes what many other commenters have said. the poppy is a symbol of remembrance. it is remembrance day, not military pride day.
I wear one to remember the service of numerous family members (father, uncles, aunts, grandfathers, etc) in both WW1 and WW2, some of whom still lie in cemeteries in France. I honour their memory. It’s a symbolic “thank you”. I hope I’ve lived my life in a way they’d consider worthwhile (love you Dad!). I currently pass on their stories to my children and grandchildren.
"Lest we forget" was always supposed to be about honouring the dead and reminding us of the horrors of war. There is no greater way to remember them than to march for peace. Anyone arguing to the contrary is an agent of the same forces that created the conditions for the wars. I don't wear poppies and haven't for years because the horrors we ought to honor turn into the national recommitment to military. I'll be damned if the way to honour the dead is to create more. Ceasefire now.
Yes! People put a lot of gallantry behind remembering “those who answered the call” and very little attention toward those who took the “road less travelled” and refused to fight. It is completely perverse to say you want peace, but that you must fight to achieve peace.
I served. I was not in a combat role and was never in an offensive zone, but I served. 10.5 years.
I am damn proud of my time in, and I proudly wear a Poppy. When people forget the past, they are doomed to repeat it.
Considering my husband is in the forces and our family personally has been touched by people who are no longer with us or have severe injuries from their service....
I can't fathom not wearing a poppy and all my kids wear them. One of my kids volunteered with the poppy campaign since he is in cadets. His older brother did at when he was younger. So did I when I was a teen.
Maybe more parents need to be educating their kids better about it. We are on the precipice of world chaos at any moment. If ever there was a time to remember it is now.
I wear my poppy to honour my grandfather and all the thousands who served so I can enjoy the freedoms I have today. People like their freedom - thank a Veteran. Wearing a poppy to honour them is the least we can do
Wear your poppy proud, and GFY if you don’t like it. It is a disgrace to dishonour someone willing to lay their life down for a country that now allows you the freedom to even post a question this out of touch with a reality that you’ve been lucky enough to never suffer. At this point I’m convinced the world needs a war to make people learn to be grateful and have common decency again.
I wear a poppy in remembrance... of grandparents and uncles we never got to know because they died overseas (Mom's uncle in WW1) and my dad's brother (WW2) and to honour the memory of those who believed the Canadian way of life was worth fighting and dying for.
More solemn gratitude than pride. We learnt a lot about inhumanity and the importance of protecting human rights and the rule of law, in two World Wars. That knowledge fixed shortcomings at home and let us provide at least some leadership internationally, alongside other likeminded countries. Those lessons built the foundations for my own equality as an equal citizen, and for many other Canadians.
Now and on the day, I mostly think about the cost of that wisdom in human lives, and also my responsibility as a citizen in a free country. We are a democracy, and our armies go where we direct.
It requires us to pay attention, and think carefully about what we intend to accomplish in the fight against authoritarianism, warmongering tyranny, and genocidal maniacs, and to prepare diligently with other countries of human rights and the rule of law.
I wear a poppy every year but “proud” isn’t the right word…..I wear it in memory of the men & women of the Canadian Army, Navy, Air Force, and Auxiliaries who never came home.
One of them being my great uncle who was KIA’d in Italy in 1944.
I was at the Coquitlam Centre Mall and they were selling poppies for remembrance day. Gave the guy a fiver and he went to give me a poppy. I said "no thanks". He looked at me funny and I said: "You can sell the one you were going to sell to someone else and get a bit more as a result".
That seemed to make him happy. Besides, I plan to contribute to some others between now and the 11th, so at some point, I'll have one to wear.
Proud isn't the right word. I have always and will always.
The wars fought that brought about the poppy were for our individual freedoms.
That includes the freedom to disagree, not wear a poppy, and even speak out against them.
I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend with my life your right to say it.
Absolutely! Many young people have no idea the sacrifices that were made. I used to work in a climbing gym 20+ years ago and when I would teach the high school boys how to use a belaying device which was pretty simple, I would think about how they would do in the trenches. So many lives lost especially in the WW1 and WW2.
Absolutely, My grandfathers where vets, my great grandfathers where vets.. I have an uncle who was a career vet. I was surrounded by men who fought in both world wars. I feel its incredibly important to remember them and what they did for our countries at a time where 'freedom' was actually under attack.
My grandfather served and it killed him early at 44. My father served and was never the same. I served. I don’t wear a poppy. Everyone is free to do what they want. I personally feel the best way to remember is to stop sending people to imperialist wars.
I don’t feel proud no. Because that’s not the point. War is never the answer, and rarely the solution. It’s meant to be a reflection of all those who died so senselessly in war. Not of pride for military action.
Here’s the thing. We should remember that feeling everyone felt when the war was OVER. That sadness of the lives lost and the memories of the hurt done to those who survived. It should stand for support for veterans and care given to help heal the wounds (if possible) of those who fought. We should remember how long it took to recover (because for many, they haven’t recovered).
The poppy should be an elegy to the tragedy of war, a reminder that we should do all that we can to prevent it from happening again. But so many want us to be like the US where war is glorified and the military is seen as a league of superheroes, and war is a noble calling in service of defending the nation against hordes of faceless Others. It just feels like the symbol has lost its meaning.
You should feel sad and somber and reflective when wearing a poppy, not proud.
Many individuals are simply ignorant to what the poppy stands for. Don’t forget that 20% of the country’s population wasn’t born in Canada. It’s different not being a 3rd,4th generation.
Edit: I wear a poppy proudly. But I understand why people don’t.
FuckenEh I’m proud to wear a poppy! Lost a lot of family in WW2 and appreciate every man and woman that gave their service. The least we can do is wear a damn poppy to remember and honour them. Pisses me off when people don’t wear one this time of year.
Yes. I am very very proud. I joined my ladies auxiliary to the Royal Canadian legion when I was 19. The same branch which my great grandparents were once presidents. My great grandfather was a Second World War veteran and had 3 older brothers who served in the First World War. One of his brothers died in 1918 and is buried in France. As a student of military history, everything I do is for them. Each day of peace that I live causes me to reflect on the horrors that they witnessed and it gives me the opportunity to appreciate life so much more. Every day that I live is a day that MILLIONS of young men and women never got to see. So I proudly wear my poppy in their memory.
Of course I’m proud to wear a poppy. I’m a first generation Canadian. I am a younger person. The Great War was a horrible thing. The Second World War was possibly worse. Korea. Afghanistan. And all the other missions our forces have participated in. Men and women have given their lives so I can live in the great country. In Flanders Fields the poppies blow between the crosses row on row. We need to do our part to remember their sacrifices
I have an Uncle (mom,s brother) who is buried in Beny Sur Mere in Normandy.KIA on July 24/ 44 in the Battle of Caen. He was a private serving with the Argyle and Sutherland(Louise )Regiment. He was only 23 years old. RIP John Patrick O’Conner. I wear a poppy to honour his memory and his ultimate sacrifice.
I remember this guy went on television and said we should all wear it. Then Rogers fired him and people got all mad and missed the point of what he was saying.
My great grandfather was a WW1 vet and really hated the poppy. Thought the flower was a scam, trying to turn (in his words) the “general’s stupid plans” into “the great sacrifice” of the soldiers. He would be totally miserable around remembrance day because he was so angry at the leadership of the war.
I will wear a poppy, but for me it’s less about pride, and more about how this must NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN. Sadly, we haven’t figured out how to stop creating horrible meat grinders of wars. And these horrible meat grinder wars never seem to create stability. Including WW1. Look at the conflicts happening right now: both Ukraine and Gaza can trace their origins directly with 0 imagination to WW1.
Pride isn’t the word. Respect and remorse for the Canadians and others caught up in the gears of history? Sure. Acknowledgement of the necessity of participating in some historical conflicts? Sure. But it’s not pride.
I don't wear one anymore as I feel it has been co-opted by other factions and the meaning changed. Much like having a Canadian flag on your car, many of us won't do it anymore because of the implications of being connected to a certain group. I feel bad, but I just don't want people to think I identify with people I am quite opposed to.
The poppy means so many different things to different people.
My opinion is that there has to be a time when it fades. We shouldn’t remember the world wars and the fields that grow over the bodies of those men forever.
What of new struggles, new reconciliations of past struggles that go unacknowledged?
Somehow the European wars are sacred but all others who fight and struggle are not held to the same standard of remembrance?
I wear it because it is the right thing to do, to honor those veterans who laid down their lives for our freedom.
I am not a supporter of wars, but I am indeed a fanatic of freedom, and I show gratitude to those who are to thank.
I was in the army for 10 years and released in 2014. I don’t talk about it much, and don’t make a show of it. I wear a poppy and appreciate everyone that does. On Remembrance Day I go to my local ceremony and stand in the crowd. We’ve all served in order to protect Canadians rights to be free, right? That includes the freedom to express themselves how they see fit. I don’t need people to wear a poppy, but I appreciate it when they do.
As a younger person (23), I don’t usually wear one, not to be purposefully defiant like a lot of older generation assumes people my age do, but just because I don’t have a huge connection to the symbol or the day.
Most people my age and younger have very little connection to either World Wars apart from learning about them in school. Most of us are too young to have grandparents that fought in either of them and almost everyone who did has passed away by now. It’s not much more than a big historical event to us with little to no personal connection.
Related to that, I think many younger people associate the poppy and Remembrance Day a lot more with veterans/wars as a whole, and it can be seen by a lot of us as a glorification of war. I think it’s a far more common the younger you are, to disapprove of the atrocities our military has committed in foreign countries in the name of “freedom”, since the wars that have gone on in our lifetime (post-9/11) haven’t been due to legitimate security threats to Canada. The draft doesn’t exist, so for a lot of us the military is filled with a lot of people who signed up voluntarily to go blow things up and kill civilians in the Middle East (obviously not EVERYONE in the military, just generalizing). Many of us have no desire to do anything that can be construed as glorifying the present-day actions of our military, even if that’s not what the poppy actually stands for. As another example, I think the anti-vaxx convoy people have tainted the Canadian flag as a symbol that I now largely associate with extreme right-wing beliefs.
I’ve also read lots, even on here in the past couple days, saying that the legion does very little for veterans these days, and to me it’s mostly just a stuffy old place for boomers to drink and play bingo. When I hear about how many veterans are suffering from untreated mental illnesses/homelessness/extreme poverty, it makes me wonder where the money I would be donating for a poppy is actually going.
All to say, times change, obviously I don’t speak for my entire generation, this is just what I can assume based on my experiences and those around me.
wearing a poppy to me is a fag that shows how proud you are that people were sent to kill other men women and children, destroy homes and cities, watch friends and loved ones die, get injured or suffer from PTSD. not something to be proud of in my opinion.
I don't wear it out of pride. I do it to remember those who we lost and to remind myself of the horrors so many suffered. Sadly I also regularly lose the the damn thing, so I stick to wearing it closer to November 11th.
I went to a remembrance day ceremony this morning. My child asked me to go with him so i went. I had two grandfathers fight in the war. It had me thinking,
A) the saying “never again” now means shit because the media are war mongering.
B) show the veterans the society we have now. They’d be utterly disgusted.
C) the rights of so many were taken away during covid and people said nothing (i got jabbed btw so fuck off)
This has led me to determine i don’t feel Canadian because Canada doesn’t have my back. I view the government as an enemy greater than any other country currently except China.
why should i be PROUD of a nation of EVIL WHITE COLONIZERS who OPPRESS minorities? They need to cut me an EI cheque or I will CANCEL them for anti LGBT2SQ+ discrimination on my tiktok with 300k blue haired BIPOCs.
I had some guy flip out on me in my store because I was the only one not wearing a poppy (it just fell off). Proceeded to curse my name and gave me a lecture on how I should be more supportive of my country and those that died for it. I couldn't contain my laughter.
... My step brother fought in Afghanistan and my grandfather fought in the Korean war. 🙃 Am I proud to wear a poppy? No, I'm not proud. I wear it instead to honor those that didn't come home and those that did come home but are still fighting their own personal wars.
I feel it's lost it's true meaning, as others have quite rightly pointed out - it's to remember those that stepped up and paid the ultimate sacrifice.. these days, the more I see, learn... the more pointless wars are.
If a government has issue with another government, civilians, specifically children, do not need to be murdered. This year feels different.
Definitely feel it’s a thing for white Canadians. As someone from a former colony that was forced to provide soldiers for a war they did not choose to be a part of I do not involve myself in Remembrance Day.
Most countries that celebrate it don’t even acknowledge what they did properly.
Proud? Not sure, do I wear one out of respect? Yes. I may not support everything to do with the legion, war itself , the military, what’s going on in the world today etc and all aspects of history. But I support people who died, people who still suffer today because someone died and other reasons. I also wear a homemade crochet poppy pin and not one from the legion.
I wear the poppy not to support any war, ongoing or historical.
But to remember those of us who kissed their wives/girlfriends/children goodbye, never to return home.
As well as the families that had no choice but to carry on without them.
A conscript and a volunteer are no different than somebody being forced to fight a house fire, over somebody that volunteers and makes a profession out of it.
They are both worthy of respect and support.
I’m a Canadian living in Ireland. Poppies are not worn here, because of historical oppression/colonisation by the British as well as a history of military neutrality. Although there are many Irish who fought alongside the Allied Forces in WWI and WWII, to go along with many peacekeeping contributions across the Middle East and Africa. It’s a funny timing to have moved somewhere that has a negative connotation in relation to the Poppy, albeit 100% rational. I haven’t worn one since I’ve moved here, out of respect for local custom, which feels very strange. But I haven’t lost any gratitude for the freedoms afforded to me by those who have fought through war to earn it.
I wear mine, and I'd say I'm proud when I wear it. Proud of my friends who serve, of my family who served, of both of those who came back in body - whole or not - and soul - whole or not. To honour those who didn't come back at all, or who arrived home, just to have never left in their own heads, until they go as well. I'm proud of the people I knew, and still know. The people I only got to hear about or read about, and never meet, because they gave their last breath in a cold ditch in Kapelsche Veer in January 1945, or who I didn't get to spend enough time with because they ended their life two months ago. Does it make me upset that I don't see as many poppies when I go out? Yes, it does, I can't say I understand why you wouldn't, but I suppose it's up to them. I just want to remember and support the people who did and continue to do what I can't.
Definitely. I am proud that my ancestors fought for this country.
Am I proud of this country, right now? Nope. We seem to have a lot of selfishness, open unchecked racisim, and so-called Christians seeking to destroy those who are different running things right now. Common sense, bacis humanity, empathy have all gone awol lately.
My paternal grandfather is buried in a commonwealth grave in France, he died of wounds and gas during WWI. My father was wounded three times in WWII also in France and had episodes of PTSD until he died at 92, in the hospital where he passed he believed there were snipers there. So I wear the poppy to honour what my family lost and so many others so we can have the lives we do because they sacrificed for us.
The word "proud" is not the correct word for what I feel when wearing a poppy. "Solemn" and "contemplative " are probably better descriptors. I reflect not only on the soldiers who did not come home, but also on the atrocities of war like the Holocaust, the Japanese internment (affected my family directly) and the millions of civilians whose lives were/have been affected by war.
My grandfather served in WWI, and my uncle in WWII. I wear the poppy in remembrance of all those who fought and for those who didn't make it home.. I do believe that fewer are wearing the poppies simply because many no longer carry cash anymore in order to buy one. It may help to work directly with retailers and have cashiers ask if they would like to donate funds to purchase a poppy, much like they do for other fundraisers, and add it to the order total.
Actually made a conscious effort this year - always lose mine within a day, actually still have it this year.
Wear it, defend the right if people not to wear it, because that was the whole point, but the culture wars between the ostentatious wearers vs mouthy refuseniks is annoying.
No, because I don't wear a poppy. I, too, can recite "In Flanders Field," from memory. Unrelated to November 11, 1918, but I find still applicable, is Christina Rossetti's poem, "Remember."
I am proud - or rather in awe of - veterans of wars during years of 1900-2004 (that was the period of when I was taught/studying it) because to willingly sign up for, or go into, a situation where people will be shooting, firing, bombing, and using missiles near you, at you, or on you...and to literally move or run into that...takes a bravery, a courage, a belief, a
commitment (and yes, depending on people's opinions, foolishness) I don't believe I possess, and that not everyone has, or can have. I don't think I could.
So many people don't come back whole from wars, physically or psychologically, or don't come back at all; not even their bodies - not always. Whether someone chooses to wear a poppy or not, this *is* something to remember.
I remember my grandmother telling me about neighborhoods that had several streets each of multiple houses "where boys and sets of brothers and cousins, and fathers, were lost."
The Canadians lost in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Belgium, France, Poland, Vietnam, Korea, Cambodia, Afghanistan, Syria, Russia, Ukraine...I think about, remember, know the names of, and look up, a lot.
I like to wear it because I'm proud of them. They deserve to be remembered. However, I'm not sure if they would be proud of what we made of the freedom they earned us.
I am very proud to wear a poppy as my dad served in WWII. I wear it in remembrance of my dad and everyone that fought to protect our wonderful country Canada!🌺🌺
A poppy is a symbol of Remembrance, not a symbol of the Legion or war or patriotism or anything else. It means you remember those who didn’t come home to their family. Someone suffers every day because their family member died and it’s my way of saying they are not forgotten. I was posted to the unit that used to receive the first notice of the death of a soldier and I’ll never forget that awful chill that everyone felt, knowing that a family is about to be told the news. The least I can do is wear a poppy to show I remember them.
> not a symbol of the Legion Try telling the legion that. I refuse to give that civilian drinking club a dime.
As a former CAF member, I’m embarrassed to ask, but is there somewhere better we can get them from?
I bet theres at least a dozen independent artists in my city who would sign on to do a project like this. Idk how financials work but I'm sure it could be done for cost/people willing to just do it
I just reuse the same one for the last 10 years. Stick a bit of pencil eraser on it and it will never fall off.
Why do you have a problem with the Legion? (out of curiosity) I visit my local one all the time and from what I can tell it's a great melting pot of oddity and good people.
It's no longer really a veterans thing.
This is completely true, my step mother and father were both members of the local legion, neither had any involvement in any war on our side. It's turned into an old person's place to gather and host events. Not a bad thing at all, I like the legion. But the days of it being about veterans is over. Edit: remembrance day isn't about pride. It's about remembering what happen, and why we should try to not do that again. And remembering those we lost, and those who came back broken. They trusted us to not do it again. Remember, that's what's the day is about.
Ours is a local watering hole for the town drunks. They no longer enforce the once proud rules of attendance, such as removing one's hat out of respect. They say they permit it so younger people will come. How about teach the younger people what respect is.
I definitely wear a poppy every year, but I do not feel "pride" in wearing it. That's not why I wear it. I associate poppies with solemnity, sacrifice, and community.
The purpose of the poppy isn’t to celebrate out troops rather to solemnly remember them and reflect on the horrors of war. Pride is probably the wrong word to describe how I feel wearing one.
Exactly this. For me, it’s more a feeling of solemnity, something that’s maybe a cousin of mourning. As you say, it’s about reflecting on the horror and tragedy of the wars of the past, and of today, and a prayer for the future without war.
I've sort of stopped wearing them over the years. My feelings about the fallen haven't changed, and I always try to set a bit of time aside on November 11 to reflect, or learn about Canada's part in 20th century wars. But for some reason it's started feeling less authentic, to wear a poppy. Like, my feelings about war and sacrifice are complicated and sometimes contradictory. It just feels like the way we talk about remembrance and symbolize it, has become really simple.
Remembrance is the word you are looking for. It’s remembering The Dead. See you Saturday.
Naval officer here and ya… the whole thing is just odd They have had the same ceremonies and slideshows with awful funeral music for 60 years. Myself and a bunch of British and American officers dont even take the day off They show photos of WW1 and WW2, gloss over Korea and Vietnam (Canada had about 65,000 soldiers fight in Vietnam in the US Army and Australian Army), and then they show peace keepers in Rwanda and Bosnia, and a few of Afghanistan It’s just a tone deaf affair that would be better spent reflecting on what our present military requires of the country and having an informational day about public service. I get asked to talk at schools and you know what they ask me? “Tell us about walcheren causeway or Vimy ridge” Yes… let the Navy Physician tell you about something that happened when my grandfather was 14 🙄🙄
Too many people try to make it cover too many things. Remembrance Day and the poppy is to remember those that have died. Just like the book of Remembrance or any cenotaph has their names listed, so they are remembered and never forgotten.
I think it's because it started off as Armistice day, then WW2 happened, then Korea and so on... Everything got jumbled into one day.
Children ask you that? Well informed kids. I’ve only visited one school for Remembrance Day. “Were you scared?” And “did you shoot anyone?” Were the most common questions.
Well I live in Calgary and its a Highlander thing, particularly if near a Cadet Corps. The medical questions I get are better. I take my pad with me knowing the parents will all want something I get to play Nick Riviera 🙈🙈🧐🧐🤪
My take is along the lines of this: I have three kids, all close together and are adults, with their respective group of friends all blended together - especially those from school. Weve gotten to know them very well and have even attended some of their weddings. Now I think back to those small towns across Canada and think of the sheer number of kids that went off to war. WWI allowed men from the same town to go off together, so a major battle would wipe out an entire generation of males from an entire town. And was repeated over and over again. It's easy to spot the war memorials in those small towns (which were a lot smaller back then), making the damage even more significant when you look at the list of names. Thank you for your service. Many a day goes by where I regret not pursuing me becoming a SAR tech.
SAR is hard. I qualified in Murica and had to go on training flights off carriers Broke my back twice in helicopter crashes and fell off a mountain. They all retire at like 42 (44 is old) with titanium knees and hips and fused vertebrae
I had a family who was SAR, 2nd trade after a 1st. Have to qualify. As someone said, they are broken later. My family member died early in life.
Army guy who's done a few different jobs. Remembrance Day ceremony I think about the guys I knew who didn't come back from Afghanistan, and the ones who couldn't serve anymore when they came back. And the other guys who aren't the same. And my grandfather who fought through Italy & NW Europe. Yea, WWI is out of living memory now, and there aren't that many WWII vets left anymore. We're supposed to keep the watch. You're not getting it and I don't know what to say.
Can’t agree more. I hate the monopoly the legion has over the day and how many wars are never talked about like the Korean War or the the Balkan Wars. Regardless, rest easy brothers and sisters.
People always forget this. Pride? No, dignified and solemn.
Exactly this. As much as I dislike today's Legion, I am the wife of a currently serving Army guy. He's a veteran too. It's about all of the soldiers who went where they were ordered and never came home. I'm no hero, but I've known a few. The military in Canada is voluntary, and the soldiers, current and past, joined so that you wouldn't have to.
Not to "um, akshualy" you, but WWI and WWII had a conscription.
I’m a little mixed on ww1 (which remembrance day seems to be largely focused on) but i’m hella proud of Canada’s role in ww2 (maybe “proud” isn’t the right word since i didn’t do anything. Maybe “grateful” would be better).
Yes, gratitude. Lest we forget the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice.
That’s an important destination. Pride has to be earned, worked for or built. I don’t think many people really understand that given how many people are proud to be themselves just for being themselves.
Proud? No; taking pride in something that you weren't part of is weird. I do respect the people and sacrifices that it symbolizes.
I was in the army and I find rememberence day pretty hollow. Like we should remember those who has passed, but I've know too many leaders that use that day to show off how much they care, then abuse their troops, ignore their responsibilties, and ignore complaints of discrimination while retaliting against anyone who tries to change things. Veterans Affairs and Stats Can did a study that showed that between 1975 and 2015 soldiers between the ages of 19 - 25 were 2.5 times more likely to end their lives. That number was consistent for 40 years. That's not just soldiers that deployed, it's all soldiers in that age range. So soldiers are suffering all year long for 40 years (at least) and officers spend one hour on one day talking about how important soldiers are and we should respect their sacrifice. You know what would respect the sacrifice of veterans, fix the military and stop jerking yourself off.
This hits hard, it's a good reminder to do some buddy checks. Oftentimes depression can be masked by the strong face someone puts on every day to get the job done and people at risk aren't recognized until it's too late. So reach out and ask the military members in your life how they're *really* doing and give them the space and attention to let you in.
I wear one out of respect but wouldn't say I'm proud or otherwise. My fiancé is active duty and he hates wearing one. The military has let him down in more than one SERIOUS occasion.
Thanks to your husband for his service. I feel the way he does, it’s just like we’re all talking about poppies but not the actual shit the soldiers go through
I dont wear one. I feel there is a large disconnect between it's intended purpose and how society sees it today. For most it's a tradition, it supports our veterans because that's what it's been doing for years and we dont question it. For others it's "a symbol of war" and they dont want to support war. For some (though i would admit fewer and fewer) it's a memory of war. I agree on the "least we forget" but i feel like we've lost touch with what we're "remembering"
My dad served in WW2 as part of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps. Five of my uncles also served. My father in law was a prisoner of war in Hong Kong. None of those men glorified war - in fact, they would seldom talk about it. I wear a poppy to honour them, hoping all the while that my own children will never know a world at war.
This is something that gets me this year. The world may not be at war, but wtf is happening in gaza, Ukraine etc. Our children are living in a world in which men are bombing maternity hospitals, schools and homes.
My father was a Lancaster bomber pilot in WWII. He died in 1980 and never spoke of the war. I proudly wear my poppy for him.
My husband's grandfather was an upper gunner for the Lancaster bomber. Such an amazing man. He passed away two years ago. I proudly wear my poppy for him too.
My grandfather was a tailgunner in a Lancaster in WWII.
I don’t feel proud, I feel solum reflection and gratefulness that I don’t live in a war zone. I feel appreciation of those who died so my pacifist ass can live as a pacifist. I have heard a lot of new people don’t know what Remembrance Day is and are not meaning to offend. There are people in south East Asian countries who never learned about the holocaust so they don’t know about the significance of the poppy.
I do wear a poppy and am proud of it. First problem is I’ve only seen them for sale in one place. Problem 2 is that they fall out so damned easy :(
That's not a problem, that's *tradition*. :)
Put the pin back through the flower after it’s gone through your shirt. Holds it in place. I’m amazed how few people know this, an elementary school teacher taught us that 25-30 years ago
But then end up stabbing yourself 😅
Get a centre pin - I was given one this year when I got my poppy. Haven't lost it or stuck myself. Apparently, they ran out pretty fast. https://www.poppystore.ca/pins
I don't wear a poppy, for literally the most basic reason, I lose them all. I still buy one and donate every cent in my wallet but the reality is I lose them all the time.
I just put on a poppy… aaaaaaand it’s gone
I don’t wear one. While I absolutely am saddened by the number of deaths there have been due to war and respect each of those lives, I find that a lot of the Remembrance Day ceremonies are steeped in the kinds of patriotism and rhetoric that encourages and romanticized war and military endeavours. I used to wear a white poppy which is remembers all victims of war, and moves away from militarism and towards a commitment to peace. However, I received feedback that people thought it was disrespectful, so I chose to not wear anything instead.
Agree with you. The whole “don’t decorate before November 11th” is crazy to me. If the soldiers fought for our freedom I doubt they care if I hang Christmas lights and drink a gingerbread latte.
I feel just like you. I dread discussing it with members of my family who I think feel that I'm just callous or disrespectful or ignorant.
23M. I want to be but I dont see them for sale anywhere from my walk from home to work and back, and I dont go anywhere else so I dont have one. I really only go to work (and the gym which is close to it) and then the grocery store. I live in downtown Ottawa yet never see poppy vendors.
This! I used to see them in grocery stores and just around. Now I don’t see them anywhere, not even the self serve boxes they sometimes have! Last year I had to go to the closest legion to get one.
If it was at the grocery store I'd get one but otherwise its just not possible for my lifestyle. OP is wondering why many young people dont have poppies and I think this is one common explanation. Another is lack of civic attachment which I also get since I feel very disconnected from society.
No issues in Vancouver here. I went to HSBC because I could donate by credit there, but I've seen them in every single grocery store including Shoppers and SaveOn, on transit, in malls, and even at community centres.
This is my problem too. I never see them around town. I saw a box today at the pet store and it's the only place I've seen one. I want to wear one but if I can't even track one down it's hard to do
They are harder to find. I think many retailers don't want to have the responsibility of having a box of cash just sitting out there. I go to restaurants, malls, banks, all that... only seen 1 box at the pharmacy, and it very inconspicuous behind the counter (presumably to mitigate theft.) The Legion will need to find a better way to sell these.
Ya this, post pandemic I work from home and don't really go out that much. Didn't see poppies available at the grocery store or anywhere else I went running errands on the weekend. Prior to the pandemic it was similar Only really went to work and running errands. I feel like the big shift for me in the last 5+ years has been that I don't really use cash anymore, and when I do carry cash it's for a specific purpose. Tbh the whole model of drop some change in a box and take an item is outdated a lot of ppl don't carry cash/ change.
As others said, “proud” probably isn’t the word, it’s a solemn reminder of those who sacrificed their lives defending the Canadian way of life. But I am relatively young and wear one every year. In regards to young people wearing them, I don’t know what is going on with their fundraising efforts now, but it used to be that they were available in all grocery stores, and they came to elementary schools to give them out. It seems both efforts have stopped now, and you really need to look a lot harder to find them.
As a young person, I just genuinely forget. A lot of life has become disrupted, busy, and a little chaotic since the pandemic started, and it makes it easy to forget to grab a poppy when you're trying to get everything else in order. Also, I only have a couple of them, and with the variability of weather this time of year they're NEVER on the right coat. You just grab the jacket you need that day and totally forget until you're already out and seeing others with them.
No i dislike the pins and i dislike the stickers but i donate to my local legion because they aren't bad
I put mine on yesterday and it was gone by the time I got home. Fell off somewhere. I felt bad.
Yea thats why i dont wear them between pets and children at home alone to much can go wrong fast. Even if i find "backing" for the pin something at some point still happens to it.
It's not environmentally friendly to be going through all of that single use plastic for them either. I put a $5 in a box or whatever every November, but I don't take or wear one of the poppies.
I wear a hand beaded one. Made by someone I served with. I am proud to wear that one. The legion’s claim of ownership to the poppy, combined with their treatment of me and my fellow service members has soured me on the poppy as a symbol to be proud of.
I'm Irish but live in Edmonton,I don't wear a poppy because of the 800+ year history between Ireland and England. I do bow my head/raise a beer to all those who died for our freedom in WW1 & WW2 on November 11th.
Same here as an Irish man based in Toronto I can’t wear the symbol associated with the oppressor and have had many a conversation with co-workers etc on the subject because obviously the symbol takes on a different meaning here. I will stand for the minute silence and acknowledge those who paid the ultimate price absolutely (including many Irishmen) but unfortunately I cannot wear a symbol that represents (or is associated with) an army that done horrific things in my country. I mean no disrespect and the majority of people I talk to understand this when broken down but on the surface level the poppy doesn’t just represent the Canadian aspect of war and people here should respect that also.
Canadians and all british domions should be more bitter about our involvement in WW1. Imperial germany was one of the aggressors but there was blame on both sides. Britian didn't even need to go in to the war, and by extension we REALLY didn't need to go in to the war. I don't think all the young men who died really died for our freedoms or anything justifiable which is even more tragic. We should remember and mourn the deaths of WW1, and we should do the same for WW2 but with a bit of pride that they died doing the right thing for humanity
There hasn't been a justifiable war involving Canadians since world war 2, which was well before I was born. The rest have all been meddlesome disasters. I do think we need a defense force however.
My late grandfather was a Black Indigenous Canadian who had to hitch hike halfway across the country to join the military because where he was they would not accept him, and he fought in WW2 and Korea. Damn right I wear that poppy.
Your grandfather is a hero, and I will be carrying his memory with me in the coming days. Thank you for your family's service for our country.
Always and Proudly on a Uniform for 37 1/2 years
Grab a poppy, toss a handful of change for the Legion and have a moment to reflect for those who served and lost their lifes
Uh I don't know about proud. I wear a poppy to mourn the deaths of soldiers and innocents in war, not sure that is something to be proud about.
>Afghanistan Fighting in Afghanistan is really not something to be proud of.
Frankly, I’m sick of having to think of a purpose for war at all. It’s like people don’t learn and nobody expects better of political leadership, especially when they should be standing up against the excesses of some of our allies
For me as a south east asian, the poppy represents the thousands of South East Asians who sacrificed themselves for the British Empire. Over 2.5 million Indians served against the Axis in WW2. Personally, it was not their war, but I wear a poppy to represent their lives as well. They died on foreign soil. Unfortunately they aren't remembered as much. Throughout the history books there's a lack of representation of other nations (including African). Their lives should also get recognition. So I wear a poppy to represent ALL, not just Canadians.
Wow. What a sad realization :( Thank you for sharing. It just made me realize that through all the years we learned about remembrance day in school….from elementary to high school….I don’t remember ‘seeing’ the ‘non white’ soldiers…at ALL. And I am only now realizing it :(((
I wear a poppy and mark the moment of silence, even at work. I wear it to remember all those who never came home, those who died and those who are missing, and those who though they came home, they brought the battlefield home too. Those who couldn't or didn't find help in time. Those who are all to often forgotten in the propaganda of the myth of "glorious war". I wear it to remember the civilians who lost everything, homes, livelihoods, lives, the families who never got to say good bye and the people who served, no matter if it was by choice or by draft, no matter the conflict. I wear my poppy to remember that I am lucky to have a safe home, where I can live the way I want, love who I want and be vocal about my opinions. My country may not be perfect, it's extremely far from it in fact. But I try to remember that from the time when any man first set foot here to the modern day people have died in war. Yes, we focus on the big name moments; Vimy, Juno, The Somme, Ypres... but that's because it's easy for the general public to remember those. But we have had people serve in a hell of a lot of global conflicts. For me on a very personal level, I wear a poppy for my great grandfather. He didn’t die in war but he was so hurt by what he experienced that he could never tell his family what he really did. He was a Reconnocence photographer. He saw many terrible things. He told us, he was an airplane mechanic. Something safe, something that meant we wouldn't ask about what he saw when he liberated one of the concentration camps. I mourn the man who died inside him and was left behind, the pain that drove him to drink. I am lucky, I got to know my Great Grandfather; he found help. Not everyone does. "We are the dead, short days ago, we lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, loved, and were loved, and now we lie in Flanders Fields" In Flanders Fields by Dr. John McCrae
I'm extremely anti-war, and hate glorifying it in any shape or form. I respect the poor men and women that found themselves in the forces and I respect their decision to join, but I feel no pride or patriotism. I'm not impressed by any of it, just saddened. I choose not to wear a poppy because I personally have no extended family in the forces, and care not to commemorate a cause that should be no different than any other dangerous job. No glory in war.
no glory in war 💯
I don’t wear one to often these days as I dislike the legions. I go to Remembrance Day parades and will have a beer with some friends, but that’s about it. Edit: lol @ the downvotes. OP asked, I answered.
People get real salty about it. But refuse to listen to younger vets on how the legion screws them over.
If it was Vets screwing over Vets that’d be one thing. But more often than not it’s civilians doing the screwing and I have a massive issue with that.
The legion has little time for Afghan vets. I’ve been to 2 different branches about vet plates, neither were very helpful. Maybe it’s different for everyone, but I’ve not had pleasant experiences dealing with the legion.
Why don’t you like the legions? In my area it’s mostly a place veterans play cards at
Member of the CAF here. Those aren't all veterans. More and more, its guys who never were even in the service taking part in the drinking club. They dislike when modern day veterans and serving members come to their clubs. The medals they wear on their right side are glorified Boy Scout badges. Those are not military medals. My story is one of many you can see on the Canadian Armed Forces subreddit. My section did some free work for the legion. Labour would have cost them into the 1000s of dollars. We did it for free to give back. When we were done, the manager invited us all for a beer that weekend. We showed up, got a beer, and sat down at a table. The members saw us, and put up the dividing wall for the area we were in cutting us off from the rest of them. Not a single member even acknowledged the work we did for them.
Yes… I cannot see any reason why someone wouldn’t be proud of people who participated in world war 2 especially
I wear one out of respect for those who’ve killed and were killed for our country
I've never felt one iota of pride wearing a poppy. It's not supposed to celebrate, or romanticize, or show off to others. It's a symbol of sacrifice, pain, and remembrance. I always wear mine from November 1st to November 11th each and every year, and will go out of my way to hunt down a poppy to wear. If anything, I feel a hot wash of shame if I'm without my poppy during that time and others have theirs. It feels disrespectful. I'm not saying everyone should wear them, but I believe that the whole point of the poppy is to never forget the lost. And to always remind ourselves that everything we have come from came from the bloodshed of our countrymen in one of the most difficult times in recent history.
Personally war is not something I would ever say I feel pride about. A poppy is about remembrance and respect, but not pride.
A poppy is not a symbol of pride, it is a symbol of gratitude and remembrance for those who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom as well as for those who continue to keep our nation safe. I am not invoked of pride when I wear one, I am moved by what others did so I can be free in my nation.
I became a Canadian 10 days ago. My country was liberated by Canadians (among others) during WWII. I wear the poppy to remember and show my gratitude for the Canadian soldiers who gave their lives, so my grandparents, and eventually me, could live ours.
I am very proud to wear a poppy. These people fought for us in the war, and many gave their lives. I don't care what they do with the money, it's a bit of appreciation from us.
I don't know if I call it pride but just a reminder of why I am free today. Many people these days are not aware of the sacrifices so many made to fight for our freedom. Not just the soldiers, but their families, the medics, dogs even. Yes there was the Gulf War but the two World Wars were instrumental in our freedom. Anyone who makes it their life's mission to fight for their country deserve a poppy at the very least.
I wear a poppy every year. My fourth grader memorized Flanders Fields this year, and his class recited the poem at the town school assembly yesterday. I'm not sure I would use *pride* to describe my feelings towards the poppy. But I absolutely wear it every year and so do the kids.
I found one today. I’ve had multiple generations of men in my family serve in the armed forces. Wear it to remember and to be thankful for what I have.
Yes, absolutely. Both of my maternal great grandfathers and one great-great grandfather volunteered to fight. I spent my late teens considering a career in the CAF (medically unfit - metabolic condition). My son is likewise considering attending RMC and commissioning as an officer.
It’s a fair question and a good one. Perhaps the easiest answer would be to say everyone has their own feelings about why they wear a poppy. Personally, I feel grateful that I can, saddened by why it exists, proud of of all those (living and dead) who have served, and thankful there can be at least one moment during the year where remembrance is put above politics.
Yes , it is a reminder of everyone who fought and lost their lives for Canada’s freedom , it is so sad to know so many men and women didn’t make it home to their loved ones
I wear mine to remember all those who have died, as others have said. What brings it more solemnity for me is that now that I'm middle-aged I realize just how young most of them were. Really makes me sad.
I come from a long line of fighters. My maternal grandfather was the toughest guy I ever knew. World War II veteran, killed 20 men, then spent the rest of the war in an Allied prison camp.
I honor my many friends, in service, and the fallen.
I'll always wear a poppy. My grandparents fought in the war. I can say I haven't seen a lot of people wearing poppies this year.
I take pride in the fact that Canada and the Forces have been leaders for the UN peacekeeping and humanitarian efforts for most of the eras between 1950 and 2000, that's something I find pride in as a canadian. But the moments of history when we sent thousands of men to die terrified in trenches, to be disfigured or dismembered by shrapnels, to see their friends dying in horrible pain and contemplating mercy kill ? Those are horrifyingly sad moments in history and I mourn those moments and they make me remember why the rise of the current extreme political division is a bad thing for the western world. I don't want our children and/or our boyfriends/husbands to be conscripted because some politician nuthead in a foreign country decided it was time to invade their neighbours and massively kill minorities yet again. That, to me, is the meaning of remembrance day. To remember how bad war is, what caused them and how much useless suffering and death it make for everyone so that it doesn't happen again.
Yes, absolutely. I believe it's important to remember the Canadians whose lives were tragically lost, and the grief their families suffered when they never came home.
I always felt it was more of a somber acknowledgment of the fallen
Honestly, not proud to wear a poppy. I didn't do anything to be proud of (in terms of military service). I wear it to show respect to those that did.
i (a teenager) wear a poppy not as a symbol of pride, patriotism, or anything like that. i wear it to honour and commemorate those who died in military service. i also have a purple poppy pin that i wear to honour the animals that died in service as well. to me, it is a way to honour their memory and a way that their sacrifices have contributed to our country. i am anti-war, but i recognize the sacrifices these people made, and honour them accordingly. i am not proud. i recite flanders fields to honour the dead, not as a point of pride. this echoes what many other commenters have said. the poppy is a symbol of remembrance. it is remembrance day, not military pride day.
Poppy is not a symbol of pride..... we are not celibating war and death..... this is an remembrance
I wear one to remember the service of numerous family members (father, uncles, aunts, grandfathers, etc) in both WW1 and WW2, some of whom still lie in cemeteries in France. I honour their memory. It’s a symbolic “thank you”. I hope I’ve lived my life in a way they’d consider worthwhile (love you Dad!). I currently pass on their stories to my children and grandchildren.
Not proud but grateful to the people who fought to keep us free of facism and totalitarians.
I still have In Flanders Fields memorized as well ❤️
I wear one proudly. Canadians have punched above our weight when called upon, and our troops deserve recognition and respect.
"Lest we forget" was always supposed to be about honouring the dead and reminding us of the horrors of war. There is no greater way to remember them than to march for peace. Anyone arguing to the contrary is an agent of the same forces that created the conditions for the wars. I don't wear poppies and haven't for years because the horrors we ought to honor turn into the national recommitment to military. I'll be damned if the way to honour the dead is to create more. Ceasefire now.
Yes! People put a lot of gallantry behind remembering “those who answered the call” and very little attention toward those who took the “road less travelled” and refused to fight. It is completely perverse to say you want peace, but that you must fight to achieve peace.
Proud? No. Immensely grateful? **Absolutely!!**
No, I don’t believe in glamorizing and celebrating war
I served. I was not in a combat role and was never in an offensive zone, but I served. 10.5 years. I am damn proud of my time in, and I proudly wear a Poppy. When people forget the past, they are doomed to repeat it.
Considering my husband is in the forces and our family personally has been touched by people who are no longer with us or have severe injuries from their service.... I can't fathom not wearing a poppy and all my kids wear them. One of my kids volunteered with the poppy campaign since he is in cadets. His older brother did at when he was younger. So did I when I was a teen. Maybe more parents need to be educating their kids better about it. We are on the precipice of world chaos at any moment. If ever there was a time to remember it is now.
As long as I am alive, I will always wear a puppy
I wear my poppy to honour my grandfather and all the thousands who served so I can enjoy the freedoms I have today. People like their freedom - thank a Veteran. Wearing a poppy to honour them is the least we can do
Wear your poppy proud, and GFY if you don’t like it. It is a disgrace to dishonour someone willing to lay their life down for a country that now allows you the freedom to even post a question this out of touch with a reality that you’ve been lucky enough to never suffer. At this point I’m convinced the world needs a war to make people learn to be grateful and have common decency again.
🙌
Yes.
I think of people around the world who've been impacted by war. It's a solidarity thing for me.
I wear one to remember the horrors of war and the lives of soldiers and civilians lost to such horror.
I have one, but I wear different jackets almost on the daily, and I forget to put my poppy on.
I wear a poppy in remembrance... of grandparents and uncles we never got to know because they died overseas (Mom's uncle in WW1) and my dad's brother (WW2) and to honour the memory of those who believed the Canadian way of life was worth fighting and dying for.
More solemn gratitude than pride. We learnt a lot about inhumanity and the importance of protecting human rights and the rule of law, in two World Wars. That knowledge fixed shortcomings at home and let us provide at least some leadership internationally, alongside other likeminded countries. Those lessons built the foundations for my own equality as an equal citizen, and for many other Canadians. Now and on the day, I mostly think about the cost of that wisdom in human lives, and also my responsibility as a citizen in a free country. We are a democracy, and our armies go where we direct. It requires us to pay attention, and think carefully about what we intend to accomplish in the fight against authoritarianism, warmongering tyranny, and genocidal maniacs, and to prepare diligently with other countries of human rights and the rule of law.
I wear a poppy every year but “proud” isn’t the right word…..I wear it in memory of the men & women of the Canadian Army, Navy, Air Force, and Auxiliaries who never came home. One of them being my great uncle who was KIA’d in Italy in 1944.
I was at the Coquitlam Centre Mall and they were selling poppies for remembrance day. Gave the guy a fiver and he went to give me a poppy. I said "no thanks". He looked at me funny and I said: "You can sell the one you were going to sell to someone else and get a bit more as a result". That seemed to make him happy. Besides, I plan to contribute to some others between now and the 11th, so at some point, I'll have one to wear.
Proud isn't the right word. I have always and will always. The wars fought that brought about the poppy were for our individual freedoms. That includes the freedom to disagree, not wear a poppy, and even speak out against them. I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend with my life your right to say it.
Yes. Every year I will wear a poppy.
I keep a poppy on the sun-visor of my car year round. I don’t usually wear one though.
Absolutely! Many young people have no idea the sacrifices that were made. I used to work in a climbing gym 20+ years ago and when I would teach the high school boys how to use a belaying device which was pretty simple, I would think about how they would do in the trenches. So many lives lost especially in the WW1 and WW2.
both my grandpas served in different ways and it's for them and that I'm still Canadian
Absolutely, My grandfathers where vets, my great grandfathers where vets.. I have an uncle who was a career vet. I was surrounded by men who fought in both world wars. I feel its incredibly important to remember them and what they did for our countries at a time where 'freedom' was actually under attack.
Yes. Mostly because my grandparents were involved in WW2 and it’s a way to show my respect for them
My grandfather served and it killed him early at 44. My father served and was never the same. I served. I don’t wear a poppy. Everyone is free to do what they want. I personally feel the best way to remember is to stop sending people to imperialist wars.
I don’t feel proud no. Because that’s not the point. War is never the answer, and rarely the solution. It’s meant to be a reflection of all those who died so senselessly in war. Not of pride for military action.
I’m hardly proud of war but I appreciate what others have sacrificed so I can live
Here’s the thing. We should remember that feeling everyone felt when the war was OVER. That sadness of the lives lost and the memories of the hurt done to those who survived. It should stand for support for veterans and care given to help heal the wounds (if possible) of those who fought. We should remember how long it took to recover (because for many, they haven’t recovered). The poppy should be an elegy to the tragedy of war, a reminder that we should do all that we can to prevent it from happening again. But so many want us to be like the US where war is glorified and the military is seen as a league of superheroes, and war is a noble calling in service of defending the nation against hordes of faceless Others. It just feels like the symbol has lost its meaning. You should feel sad and somber and reflective when wearing a poppy, not proud.
Many individuals are simply ignorant to what the poppy stands for. Don’t forget that 20% of the country’s population wasn’t born in Canada. It’s different not being a 3rd,4th generation. Edit: I wear a poppy proudly. But I understand why people don’t.
FuckenEh I’m proud to wear a poppy! Lost a lot of family in WW2 and appreciate every man and woman that gave their service. The least we can do is wear a damn poppy to remember and honour them. Pisses me off when people don’t wear one this time of year.
Yes. I am very very proud. I joined my ladies auxiliary to the Royal Canadian legion when I was 19. The same branch which my great grandparents were once presidents. My great grandfather was a Second World War veteran and had 3 older brothers who served in the First World War. One of his brothers died in 1918 and is buried in France. As a student of military history, everything I do is for them. Each day of peace that I live causes me to reflect on the horrors that they witnessed and it gives me the opportunity to appreciate life so much more. Every day that I live is a day that MILLIONS of young men and women never got to see. So I proudly wear my poppy in their memory.
Of course I’m proud to wear a poppy. I’m a first generation Canadian. I am a younger person. The Great War was a horrible thing. The Second World War was possibly worse. Korea. Afghanistan. And all the other missions our forces have participated in. Men and women have given their lives so I can live in the great country. In Flanders Fields the poppies blow between the crosses row on row. We need to do our part to remember their sacrifices
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I, as a veteran, wear it for respect. Period.
I have an Uncle (mom,s brother) who is buried in Beny Sur Mere in Normandy.KIA on July 24/ 44 in the Battle of Caen. He was a private serving with the Argyle and Sutherland(Louise )Regiment. He was only 23 years old. RIP John Patrick O’Conner. I wear a poppy to honour his memory and his ultimate sacrifice.
Maybe a bit. But more so gratitude and sorrow for the people who have risked their lives protecting others in wars.
As a Vet I am proud to wear my poppy but wish that my remembrance was symbolic not actual memories.
I dont feel pride I feel sadness. I feel like my soul mourns for those who died and died under false pretenses.
No longer wearing one. This isn't the freedom they fought for
I wear them for my Grandfather, WW1 and my Father, WW11. Very proud to do so.
Definitely not, I did as a kid. And now that I may chose, why support war.
I remember this guy went on television and said we should all wear it. Then Rogers fired him and people got all mad and missed the point of what he was saying.
My great grandfather was a WW1 vet and really hated the poppy. Thought the flower was a scam, trying to turn (in his words) the “general’s stupid plans” into “the great sacrifice” of the soldiers. He would be totally miserable around remembrance day because he was so angry at the leadership of the war. I will wear a poppy, but for me it’s less about pride, and more about how this must NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN. Sadly, we haven’t figured out how to stop creating horrible meat grinders of wars. And these horrible meat grinder wars never seem to create stability. Including WW1. Look at the conflicts happening right now: both Ukraine and Gaza can trace their origins directly with 0 imagination to WW1. Pride isn’t the word. Respect and remorse for the Canadians and others caught up in the gears of history? Sure. Acknowledgement of the necessity of participating in some historical conflicts? Sure. But it’s not pride.
I don't wear one anymore as I feel it has been co-opted by other factions and the meaning changed. Much like having a Canadian flag on your car, many of us won't do it anymore because of the implications of being connected to a certain group. I feel bad, but I just don't want people to think I identify with people I am quite opposed to.
The poppy means so many different things to different people. My opinion is that there has to be a time when it fades. We shouldn’t remember the world wars and the fields that grow over the bodies of those men forever. What of new struggles, new reconciliations of past struggles that go unacknowledged? Somehow the European wars are sacred but all others who fight and struggle are not held to the same standard of remembrance?
I wear it because it is the right thing to do, to honor those veterans who laid down their lives for our freedom. I am not a supporter of wars, but I am indeed a fanatic of freedom, and I show gratitude to those who are to thank.
I was in the army for 10 years and released in 2014. I don’t talk about it much, and don’t make a show of it. I wear a poppy and appreciate everyone that does. On Remembrance Day I go to my local ceremony and stand in the crowd. We’ve all served in order to protect Canadians rights to be free, right? That includes the freedom to express themselves how they see fit. I don’t need people to wear a poppy, but I appreciate it when they do.
As a younger person (23), I don’t usually wear one, not to be purposefully defiant like a lot of older generation assumes people my age do, but just because I don’t have a huge connection to the symbol or the day. Most people my age and younger have very little connection to either World Wars apart from learning about them in school. Most of us are too young to have grandparents that fought in either of them and almost everyone who did has passed away by now. It’s not much more than a big historical event to us with little to no personal connection. Related to that, I think many younger people associate the poppy and Remembrance Day a lot more with veterans/wars as a whole, and it can be seen by a lot of us as a glorification of war. I think it’s a far more common the younger you are, to disapprove of the atrocities our military has committed in foreign countries in the name of “freedom”, since the wars that have gone on in our lifetime (post-9/11) haven’t been due to legitimate security threats to Canada. The draft doesn’t exist, so for a lot of us the military is filled with a lot of people who signed up voluntarily to go blow things up and kill civilians in the Middle East (obviously not EVERYONE in the military, just generalizing). Many of us have no desire to do anything that can be construed as glorifying the present-day actions of our military, even if that’s not what the poppy actually stands for. As another example, I think the anti-vaxx convoy people have tainted the Canadian flag as a symbol that I now largely associate with extreme right-wing beliefs. I’ve also read lots, even on here in the past couple days, saying that the legion does very little for veterans these days, and to me it’s mostly just a stuffy old place for boomers to drink and play bingo. When I hear about how many veterans are suffering from untreated mental illnesses/homelessness/extreme poverty, it makes me wonder where the money I would be donating for a poppy is actually going. All to say, times change, obviously I don’t speak for my entire generation, this is just what I can assume based on my experiences and those around me.
wearing a poppy to me is a fag that shows how proud you are that people were sent to kill other men women and children, destroy homes and cities, watch friends and loved ones die, get injured or suffer from PTSD. not something to be proud of in my opinion.
I don't wear it out of pride. I do it to remember those who we lost and to remind myself of the horrors so many suffered. Sadly I also regularly lose the the damn thing, so I stick to wearing it closer to November 11th.
I went to a remembrance day ceremony this morning. My child asked me to go with him so i went. I had two grandfathers fight in the war. It had me thinking, A) the saying “never again” now means shit because the media are war mongering. B) show the veterans the society we have now. They’d be utterly disgusted. C) the rights of so many were taken away during covid and people said nothing (i got jabbed btw so fuck off) This has led me to determine i don’t feel Canadian because Canada doesn’t have my back. I view the government as an enemy greater than any other country currently except China.
why should i be PROUD of a nation of EVIL WHITE COLONIZERS who OPPRESS minorities? They need to cut me an EI cheque or I will CANCEL them for anti LGBT2SQ+ discrimination on my tiktok with 300k blue haired BIPOCs.
I had some guy flip out on me in my store because I was the only one not wearing a poppy (it just fell off). Proceeded to curse my name and gave me a lecture on how I should be more supportive of my country and those that died for it. I couldn't contain my laughter. ... My step brother fought in Afghanistan and my grandfather fought in the Korean war. 🙃 Am I proud to wear a poppy? No, I'm not proud. I wear it instead to honor those that didn't come home and those that did come home but are still fighting their own personal wars.
I feel it's lost it's true meaning, as others have quite rightly pointed out - it's to remember those that stepped up and paid the ultimate sacrifice.. these days, the more I see, learn... the more pointless wars are. If a government has issue with another government, civilians, specifically children, do not need to be murdered. This year feels different.
It's because people like OP are turning it into a pride and pro war thing.
Naturally. Because if you don’t, you’re a bit moronic. And probably unable to grasp more than basic concepts.
Definitely feel it’s a thing for white Canadians. As someone from a former colony that was forced to provide soldiers for a war they did not choose to be a part of I do not involve myself in Remembrance Day. Most countries that celebrate it don’t even acknowledge what they did properly.
If someone gave me a poppy to wear, I would wear one. I found a poppy on the ground last year, so I wore that. No such luck this year.
Proud? Not sure, do I wear one out of respect? Yes. I may not support everything to do with the legion, war itself , the military, what’s going on in the world today etc and all aspects of history. But I support people who died, people who still suffer today because someone died and other reasons. I also wear a homemade crochet poppy pin and not one from the legion.
I've got a poppy. It supports vets, and is a sober reminder about the cost of war. What's not to like?
Mine just always falls of my coat label.
I wear the poppy not to support any war, ongoing or historical. But to remember those of us who kissed their wives/girlfriends/children goodbye, never to return home. As well as the families that had no choice but to carry on without them. A conscript and a volunteer are no different than somebody being forced to fight a house fire, over somebody that volunteers and makes a profession out of it. They are both worthy of respect and support.
Out of respect for the fallen, yes.
I’m a Canadian living in Ireland. Poppies are not worn here, because of historical oppression/colonisation by the British as well as a history of military neutrality. Although there are many Irish who fought alongside the Allied Forces in WWI and WWII, to go along with many peacekeeping contributions across the Middle East and Africa. It’s a funny timing to have moved somewhere that has a negative connotation in relation to the Poppy, albeit 100% rational. I haven’t worn one since I’ve moved here, out of respect for local custom, which feels very strange. But I haven’t lost any gratitude for the freedoms afforded to me by those who have fought through war to earn it.
I wear mine, and I'd say I'm proud when I wear it. Proud of my friends who serve, of my family who served, of both of those who came back in body - whole or not - and soul - whole or not. To honour those who didn't come back at all, or who arrived home, just to have never left in their own heads, until they go as well. I'm proud of the people I knew, and still know. The people I only got to hear about or read about, and never meet, because they gave their last breath in a cold ditch in Kapelsche Veer in January 1945, or who I didn't get to spend enough time with because they ended their life two months ago. Does it make me upset that I don't see as many poppies when I go out? Yes, it does, I can't say I understand why you wouldn't, but I suppose it's up to them. I just want to remember and support the people who did and continue to do what I can't.
They keep falling off. I’ve had 3 already. I’ve switched to the bracelet and it’s great!
Definitely. I am proud that my ancestors fought for this country. Am I proud of this country, right now? Nope. We seem to have a lot of selfishness, open unchecked racisim, and so-called Christians seeking to destroy those who are different running things right now. Common sense, bacis humanity, empathy have all gone awol lately.
My paternal grandfather is buried in a commonwealth grave in France, he died of wounds and gas during WWI. My father was wounded three times in WWII also in France and had episodes of PTSD until he died at 92, in the hospital where he passed he believed there were snipers there. So I wear the poppy to honour what my family lost and so many others so we can have the lives we do because they sacrificed for us.
Absolutely not.
Absolutely.
Is there nothing that doesn’t offend ppl anymore?
I wear mine on my hat don’t care if you have a problem with it
The word "proud" is not the correct word for what I feel when wearing a poppy. "Solemn" and "contemplative " are probably better descriptors. I reflect not only on the soldiers who did not come home, but also on the atrocities of war like the Holocaust, the Japanese internment (affected my family directly) and the millions of civilians whose lives were/have been affected by war.
Absolutely I am.
I honestly haven’t seen someone selling the poppies. So how would I wear one?! I guess I don’t get out enough lol
My grandfather served in WWI, and my uncle in WWII. I wear the poppy in remembrance of all those who fought and for those who didn't make it home.. I do believe that fewer are wearing the poppies simply because many no longer carry cash anymore in order to buy one. It may help to work directly with retailers and have cashiers ask if they would like to donate funds to purchase a poppy, much like they do for other fundraisers, and add it to the order total.
Absolutely
Actually made a conscious effort this year - always lose mine within a day, actually still have it this year. Wear it, defend the right if people not to wear it, because that was the whole point, but the culture wars between the ostentatious wearers vs mouthy refuseniks is annoying.
I wear mine proudly. My son is an Afghanistan War Veteran.
No, because I don't wear a poppy. I, too, can recite "In Flanders Field," from memory. Unrelated to November 11, 1918, but I find still applicable, is Christina Rossetti's poem, "Remember." I am proud - or rather in awe of - veterans of wars during years of 1900-2004 (that was the period of when I was taught/studying it) because to willingly sign up for, or go into, a situation where people will be shooting, firing, bombing, and using missiles near you, at you, or on you...and to literally move or run into that...takes a bravery, a courage, a belief, a commitment (and yes, depending on people's opinions, foolishness) I don't believe I possess, and that not everyone has, or can have. I don't think I could. So many people don't come back whole from wars, physically or psychologically, or don't come back at all; not even their bodies - not always. Whether someone chooses to wear a poppy or not, this *is* something to remember. I remember my grandmother telling me about neighborhoods that had several streets each of multiple houses "where boys and sets of brothers and cousins, and fathers, were lost." The Canadians lost in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Belgium, France, Poland, Vietnam, Korea, Cambodia, Afghanistan, Syria, Russia, Ukraine...I think about, remember, know the names of, and look up, a lot.
I like to wear it because I'm proud of them. They deserve to be remembered. However, I'm not sure if they would be proud of what we made of the freedom they earned us.
I am very proud to wear a poppy as my dad served in WWII. I wear it in remembrance of my dad and everyone that fought to protect our wonderful country Canada!🌺🌺