The Royal Canadian Legion’s 2025 National Poppy Campaign and Remembrance Period officially launched today with additional access to Poppies, and thousands of locations participating in initiatives to encourage Canadians to Remember.

“The countless people who donate to the campaign during this period make a huge difference in Veterans’ lives,” says Berkley Lawrence, Dominion President. “Their donations allow us to help Veterans at the ground level, providing the assistance they need, from obtaining benefits to emergency funding. We thank everyone who contributes to this mission, and to all who take time to remember the sacrifices of our Fallen service members during this period.”

Gratifying comments such as: “…how incredibly helpful you have been and the stress you alleviated knowing you were available to provide guidance and support!” reflect the positive changes made in Veterans’ lives, thanks to the contributions Canadians make each year.

Ways to donate: Modern and traditional

With support from RBC, the Legion has doubled the number of “Pay Tribute” tap to donate boxes this year, allowing donors to contribute five dollars or multiples of that number, by using a tap enabled device. The boxes are located throughout the country, including in Legion branches.

In collaboration with Amazon Canada, this is the second year donors can contribute $2, $5, $10, or $20 in any combination, to receive a Poppy online to be delivered to their door. This expanded accessibility reached thousands of people last year, allowing access to Poppies in areas that do not have a Legion branch, or are not close to a larger centre. The Legion storefront on Amazon.ca will offer lapel Poppies until November 11. One hundred percent of the funds will go directly into the Legion’s Poppy Trust Fund to help support our Veterans and their families.

The Legion’s Amazon storefront also offers other Remembrance items such as the ever-popular Poppy centre pin which can be quickly shipped across the country. Additional items will continue to be available past November 11 to help Canadians remember and support Legion operations.

“Amazon Canada is proud to support The Royal Canadian Legion’s Poppy Campaign for a second year, making it easier for Canadians to participate in this important tradition of remembrance. Through our collaboration, we’re helping ensure that Canadians across the country can receive a Poppy at their doorstep while supporting veterans and their families. This initiative reflects our commitment to leveraging Amazon’s logistics capabilities to serve communities, particularly in areas where traditional Poppy distribution might be limited. We’re honoured to play a role in helping Canadians remember and support those who have served,” says Eva Lorenz, Country Manager, Amazon Canada.

A larger collection of hundreds of items can be found throughout the year at the Legion’s online Poppy Store.

Traditional Poppy boxes will still be available for donations and people can pick up a biodegradable Poppy at many thousands of outlets throughout the country. For a third year, that includes TD Bank branches where customers can also donate to the Poppy Trust Fund via that bank’s payee system – donations will go to local Legion branches.

Additionally, supporters can give online at Legion.ca. Funds donated across the country during the National Poppy Campaign support Veterans and their families. What is donated locally is used locally. Close to 20 million dollars is donated to the Poppy Trust Fund throughout the year by generous supporters, with much of that support coming in during the National Poppy Campaign.

The importance of Remembrance: Special initiatives

Ongoing Remembrance initiatives will continue throughout the Remembrance Period, including community and partner support across Canada with innovative programs. For example, the City of Ottawa is circulating buses with vivid Remembrance murals, and VIA Rail has once again wrapped train cars with visual messages of Remembrance.

People can visit poppystories.ca to scan their lapel Poppies and learn about a Veterans’ story. The initiative helps people build deeper and personal connections with our Veterans. Canadians may also notice many more Remembrance-themed crosswalks this year, featuring a new design created by the Legion to help municipalities show support for Veterans year-round.

The Legion’s ceremony guide for teachers, remains accessible and online for teachers across the country. Created in collaboration with Veterans Affairs Canada and the Department of National Defence, features information and tools to help hold a youth-focused Remembrance ceremony at educational institutions. The guide can also be tailored for use by any organization, allowing workers to attend a ceremony even if they are not in a position to leave their offices and participate at a cenotaph on November 11.

Perhaps the most sacred part of Remembrance Day ceremonies is the two minutes of silence which is taken to quietly reflect upon our Veterans’ sacrifices and remember them with deep gratitude. The Legion’s program to help encourage this action continues to grow with the participation of hundreds of electronic billboards which will go black at 11 am on November 11 to encourage people to take two minutes of silence no matter where they may be. City of Ottawa buses and trains will pause to mark gratitude for our Veterans, a program that will hopefully expand to other municipalities in future years.

Remembrance through Light

Beginning October 31, beautiful Poppies representing Fallen Canadian Veterans will cascade virtually upon the Senate building (this year the Peace Tower is not included due to construction). The Poppy Drop will take place until November 11, from 6:30–9:30 pm ET. On November 10 and 11, the display will extend to midnight. Virtual poppies will also cascade down the National Art Centre’s “Kipnes Lantern” on November 11, from 6:00 am ET to midnight ET.

Many well-known Canadian landmarks and community locations such as the CN Tower, the City of Toronto sign, and the City of Ottawa sign in its Byward Market – among other wonderful locations – will light up at various times throughout the next two weeks in support of the National Poppy Campaign and Remembrance.

Starting October 31, and running each night, the Legion’s Virtual Wall of Honour will be displayed on a column of the Senate of Canada building. It is a silent video sharing the faces of Canadian Veterans who have passed, with photos submitted by people from across the country.

National Ceremony, Blackhawk fly-past

The annual National Remembrance Day Ceremony organized by the Legion at the National War Memorial in Ottawa will take place on November 11. There will once again be a grand Veterans’ Parade and a CF-18 aircraft fly-past. This year, an RCMP Blackhawk helicopter will fly over the site at the end of the ceremony, paying homage to those who have given their lives in service to Canada. The 2025 ceremony will also recognize the 25^th anniversary of the Tomb of the Unknown Solider – a symbolic and special site that represents Fallen Canadians including those whose identities will forever remain unknown.

The live presentation of the national ceremony will be accessible via the Legion’s Facebook page and national broadcasters will cover the ceremony on television.

Legion Branches continue to add to the Ceremony Locator at Legion.ca to allow Canadians to find a Legion-supported Remembrance ceremony closest to them. Canadians can also check with local Legion Branches to verify times and locations.

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The Royal Canadian Legion’s 2024 National Poppy Campaign launched last week with wider access to Poppies than ever before, Remembrance stories about Canada’s Veterans highlighting the Royal Canadian Airforce, a new ceremony planner for teachers, and hundreds of new locations participating in an advertising blackout to encourage Canadians to take two minutes of silence.

“There are so many ways to show our gratitude for the sacrifices of our Veterans,” says Berkley Lawrence, Dominion President. “I am very proud of the new initiatives we are presenting this year to make it even easier for Canadians to join in collective Remembrance.”

Ways to donate: Traditional and new!

Through an inaugural collaboration with Amazon Canada, the Legion is presenting another way to receive a lapel Poppy. A new storefront on Amazon.ca offers lapel Poppies for donations of $2, $5, $10, and $20 until November 11. One hundred percent of the funds will go directly to the Legion’s Poppy Trust Fund to help support our Veterans and their families. The Legion’s Amazon storefront also offers other products such as “We Remember” lawn signs and red neon window Poppies which will continue to be available past November 11 to help Canadians remember. A larger collection of items can be found at the Legion’s online Poppy Store.

Traditional Poppy boxes will once again be available for donations and lapel Poppy distribution at thousands of locations. Another 1000 “Pay Tribute” tap-enabled donation boxes will be found at many Legion Branches, select RBC branches and select retail locations. With $2, $5, and $10 options, donors can also receive a lapel Poppy from them. Additionally, supporters can give online at Legion.ca.

Funds donated across the country during the National Poppy Campaign support Veterans and their families. What is donated locally is used locally. Close to 20 million dollars is donated each year by generous supporters.

Poppy Stories: A 2024 focus on the Royal Canadian Air Force

This year’s iteration of “Poppy Stories” pays homage to Fallen members of the Royal Canadian Airforce (RCAF), with 2024 being its 100^th anniversary. When people go to PoppyStories.ca to scan their lapel Poppy with their smartphone they will first be taken to short personal stories about RCAF members. They will also read stories of Veterans from all arms of the Canadian Armed Forces who gave their lives in service to our country. The Poppy Stories initiative helps people build deeper and personal connections with our Veterans.

The importance of Remembrance: New ceremony guide, two minutes of silence

This year, the Legion is presenting a new ceremony guide for teachers, accessible across the country. The guide features background information and tools to help hold a youth-focused and complete Remembrance ceremony at educational institutions. The guide is complimentary and was created in partnership with  Veterans Affairs Canada and the Department of National Defence. It is another way to fulfill the Legion’s mission, and a means to ensure that next generations will help keep the memory of our Fallen Veterans alive.

Perhaps the most sacred part of Remembrance Day ceremonies is the two minutes of silence taken to quietly reflect upon our Veterans’ sacrifices and remember them with deep gratitude. The Legion’s program to help encourage this action has grown dramatically this year with dozens of new organizational and business participants. The Legion is also featuring some special public service announcements to invite people to take two minutes of silence no matter where they may be.

Biodegradable Poppies and Wreaths: Better for our environment

The Legion’s biodegradable Poppies and wreaths are crafted from a variety of natural materials such as paper, cotton velvet, plaster, moss, and bamboo and they allow the Legion to help reduce its environmental footprint. They will once again be featured as part of the 2024 campaign. Because these biodegradable items were launched only a couple of years ago, it could take additional time for residual stock to be depleted, so don’t be surprised to find a previous version in the mix.

Symbols of Remembrance: Poppy Store

Canadians looking for symbols of remembrance throughout the remembrance period and beyond can find them on the Legion’s online store at poppystore.ca. There are hundreds of respectful items to choose from, including innovative jewelry and clothing, with most featuring the Poppy of Remembrance.

Among the wide variety of Remembrance items being offered this year to show support for our Veterans is an LED Poppy light, a newly-designed Poppy lawn sign, and the ever popular Poppy centre pin to help keep lapel Poppies affixed. Purchasing an item from poppystore.ca, through the Legion’s new Amazon storefront, or from a Legion Branch, ensures a Poppy-themed product is an official item created and endorsed by the Legion.

Remembrance through Light

Beginning October 25, beautiful Poppies representing Fallen Canadian Veterans will cascade virtually upon the Peace Tower at Parliament Hill and on the Senate building. The Poppy Drop will take place until November 11, from 6:30–9:30 pm ET. On November 5, 10, and 11, the display will extend to midnight. Virtual poppies will also cascade down the National Art Centre’s “Kipnes Lantern” on November 11, from 7:00 am ET to midnight ET.

Many well-known Canadian landmarks and community locations such as the Calgary Tower, BC Place Stadium, Canada Place Sails of Light, the CN Tower, the City of Toronto sign, Niagara Falls, and the City of Ottawa sign in the Byward Market among others, will also light up at various times throughout the next two weeks in support of the National Poppy Campaign and Remembrance.

Starting on October 25 and running each night, two large screens on Parliament Hill will also show the Legion’s Virtual Wall of Honour, a silent video sharing the faces of Canadian Veterans who have passed, with photos submitted by people from across the country.

National Ceremony, Vintage plane fly-past, Ceremony Locator

A touching National Remembrance Day Ceremony organized by the Legion at the National War Memorial in Ottawa will take place on November 11. There will once again be a grand Veterans’ Parade and a CF-18 fly-past. In recognition of the 100^th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force, several vintage aircraft are expected to make an appearance.

The live presentation of the national ceremony will be accessible via the Legion’s Facebook page and national broadcasters will cover the ceremony on television.

Legion Branches continue to add to the  Ceremony Locator at Legion.ca to allow Canadians to find a Legion-supported Remembrance ceremony closest to them. Canadians can also check with local Legion Branches to verify times and locations.

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Pamela Sweeny, executive director of the Ontario Command, said the trustees were put in place on Nov. 8 to determine why the executives resigned and to see where improvements could be made. Sometimes issues come down to personality conflicts while other times they’re related to by-law adherence, she said, but with 390 branches across the province that rely on volunteers to operate, these situations are par for the course at Ontario Command. The group of trustees is made up of a chair and two members who will work with the legion until Feb. 6, 2024.

“We never want to see a branch close,” Sweeny said. “That’s the thing, it’s not like we’re taking them over. What we’re doing is we’re putting a team of educated people in there to see where the loopholes are, where the inconsistencies are. There are several members of the executive that quit, so why is that?”

When a board of trustees is placed at a branch, it’s typically made up of past district commanders, branch presidents, zone commanders, and others with extensive knowledge and experience, she said. They’re usually implemented for about 90 days to oversee branch affairs, preserve its property and solve any outstanding issues.

Chair Bob Ladouceur and members Wayne Hooey and Fred Cosgrove are helping the branch undergo what the Ontario Command calls a “Legion-type university.” They look at their financial records, observe volunteer interactions, and see how they run meetings and events to determine where the issues are coming from.

Sweeny said they identified several problems and found that certain safeguards weren’t being met, but they’ve also found people who were willing to step up and fill crucial roles. After noting issues with the legion’s handwritten ledgers, they have a new bookkeeper that is using digital accounting software and looking for ways to reduce expenses.

“All of that stuff is part of running a business, which is really what the legion does, as well as … being a support organization for veterans,” she said. “In a lot of cases, because of towns like Gravenhurst, it’s the hub of the community. You want it to be a welcoming place and you want it to remain active because there’s so many supports in the community that the Royal Canadian Legion helps with.”

It’s common for volunteers in any organization to get burnt out and leave before all of their insight has filtered down through the next generation of helping hands, but knowledge is power, Sweeny said. She and her team are doing what they can to empower their members with defined roles, clear guidelines and ongoing support.

While the Gravenhurst branch has its problems, she said the Ontario Command has hope for its future. She encourages locals to show their support by getting involved.

“Pop by, help out if you can,” Sweeny said. “We’re always in need of volunteers, and it’s a fun place to be. People definitely want to see this prosper in the community, which it has, and community involvement certainly goes a long way.”

Gordie Merton, sergeant-at-arms for Gravenhurst Legion Branch 302, echoed Sweeny’s statements, saying it makes a big difference for people to attend events, become members and make financial contributions. But more than anything, they need people who are willing to donate their time.

“The most important support is honestly helping us with volunteers,” Merton said. “Come in and volunteer for anything… We have a lot of different stuff going on, so a lot of events like our snooker night and all of that, it would be awesome to have some volunteers.”

Merton also said the cancellations announced on Dec. 7 have nothing to do with the trustees and their process. TGIF (Thank Gravenhurst It’s Friday), the take-out meals program and Thursday night bingo were cancelled due to issues with their bingo license and other unforeseen challenges, but despite the rumours, the legion isn’t closing. 

Community members can still enjoy the Saturday meat draw, the New Year Bash and Friday night karaoke on the first and third Friday of each month. 

“The branch is still open,” Merton said. “We’re fully functioning, and we just have a board of trustees to help guide us.”

For ongoing updates from Gravenhurst Legion Branch 302, visit their Facebook page.

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“This is a special time for the Legion and for all Canadians,” says Bruce Julian, Dominion President. “While we remember our fallen Veterans year-round, this is when the whole country is focused on our collective gratitude for their sacrifices.”

Ways to donate: Traditional and modern

Traditional poppy boxes will be available for donations and lapel poppy distribution at thousands of locations. Once again this year, 1000 “Pay Tribute” tap-enabled donation boxes will be found at many Legion branches, HSBC branches, and select retail locations. There are $2, $5, and $10 options and donors can also receive a lapel poppy from these electronic boxes. Additionally, donors can choose to give online via Legion.ca.

Funds donated across the country during the National Poppy Campaign support Veterans and their families. Funds donated locally stay local. Close to 20 million dollars is generously donated each year.

The ceremonial start to the 2023 National Poppy Campaign took place on October 20, with Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, accepting the First Poppy from Dominion President Bruce Julian.

Poppy Stories: A focus on peacekeepers

The Legion is excited to present the next iteration of “Poppy Stories” this year. People can visit PoppyStories.ca to scan their lapel poppy with their smartphone. They will then be taken to short personal stories about Canadian Veterans who gave their lives in service to our country. This year, 50 new faces have been added and all of them were peacekeepers, with 2023 marking the 75^th anniversary of the first United Nations peacekeeping mission. The Poppy Stories initiative helps people build deeper and personal connections with our Veterans.

The importance of Remembrance: Taking two minutes of silence

A very sacred part of Remembrance Day ceremonies is the two minutes of silence taken to quietly reflect upon our Veterans’ sacrifices and remember them with deep gratitude.

This year, the Legion has created some special public service announcements to invite people to take two minutes of silence no matter where they may be.

A second and unique initiative based on the importance of taking two minutes of silence at 11:00 am on November 11^th, will also be unveiled in the coming days. Stay tuned!

Biodegradable Poppies and Wreaths: Reducing the environmental footprint

The Legion began distributing new biodegradable poppies and wreaths in 2022, and they will be back again this year. They are crafted from a variety of natural materials including paper, cotton velvet, plaster, moss, and bamboo and they allow the Legion to help reduce its environmental footprint.

It may still take additional time for residual stock to be depleted, so some branches may still offer a combination of old and new and items.

Symbols of Remembrance: Poppy Store

Many Canadians looking for symbols of remembrance throughout the remembrance period and beyond are happy to find the Legion’s online store at poppystore.ca. There are hundreds of tasteful items to choose from, including innovative jewelry and clothing, with most featuring the Poppy of Remembrance.

Three new items being featured this year include the LED poppy light, a 24k gold-rimmed poppy pin, and a poppy lawn ornament. The popular poppy centre pin to help keep lapel poppies affixed is once again available, and is a top three seller so far this year along with the gold-rimmed pin and the lawn ornament.

Purchasing an item from poppystore.ca or from a Legion branch is the only way to ensure a poppy- themed product is an official item created and endorsed by the Legion.

National Ceremony, Local Ceremony Locator: Find your ceremony

Canadians can expect another beautiful National Remembrance Day Ceremony organized by the Legion at the National War Memorial in Ottawa on November 11. There will once again be a grand Veterans’ Parade and a CF-18 fly-past.

The live presentation of the national ceremony will be accessible via the Legion’s Facebook page and national broadcasters will cover the ceremony as in the past.

The Legion is also expanding its  Ceremony Locator at Legion.ca. Branches are populating this page to allow Canadians to find a Legion-supported Remembrance ceremony closest to them. The Legion also recommends that people check with local Legion branches to verify any remaining restrictions related to gatherings during the pandemic.

Remembrance through Light

Starting on October 27, 117,000 poppies representing Fallen Canadian Veterans since the First World War will cascade virtually upon the Peace Tower at Parliament Hill and on the Senate building. The Poppy Drop will take place until November 11, from 6:30–9:30 pm ET. On November 5, 10, and 11, the display will extend to midnight. Virtual poppies will also cascade down the National Art Centre’s “Kipnes Lantern” on November 11, from 7:00 am ET to midnight ET.

Many well-known Canadian landmarks and community locations such as the CN Tower, BC Place Stadium, Canada Place Sails of Light, and the City of Ottawa sign in the Byward Market among others, will also light up at various times throughout the next two weeks in support of the campaign and Remembrance.

Starting on October 27 and running each night, two large screens on Parliament Hill will also show the Virtual Wall of Honour, a silent video sharing the faces of Canadian Veterans who have passed, with photos submitted by people from across the country.

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