Immortalized by war poet John McCrae’s In Flanders Field, the poppy is a symbol countless Canadians have worn to honour the country’s war dead since 1921. In recent years, however, the red flower has been reimagined in many ways.
In Winnipeg, some children have been making crochet poppies to honour the bravery of Canada’s servicemen and women.
Others make poppies with beads, paper, or wear the poppy in different styles.
But despite their good intentions, some veterans say these creative poppies are disrespectful. The Royal Canadian Legion even has a “Poppy Manual” that outlines how the poppy should be worn, where the funds go, and the importance of its poppy trademark.
“There’s a symbol there. That’s a First War symbol and I think it’s important not to desecrate it,” Second World War veteran Paul Martin told CTV Winnipeg on Friday. “The intention is good but I think it destroys the meaning of the poppy.”
Not everyone, however, agrees with Martin, including his son.
“For me, it doesn’t matter whether it’s a paper one or a beaded one or something else,” said Peter Martin. “It’s a symbol saying, ‘I respect. I’ll never forget and I honour those who served.’”
Still, the familiar image of the trademarked red-and-black poppy holds great significance for some people -- especially considering that all the funds raised from the official poppies go back to veterans and their families.
“This money is all in a special trust fund and is used to support our veterans,” said Ron Anderson, chair of the St. James Legion Branch.
He said the donations help to provide housing and food for those who require it.
With files from CTV Winnipeg’s Jon Hendricks
