November 11 is known as Remembrance Day in Canada. It is a time that we recall the price our soldiers pay as they go to war in our name.
In recent times, people seem very emotional about how Remembrance Day is observed. Canada has been at war with Afghanistan since 2001. While our military involvement is seen as essential, it is not a happy or glorious duty. We must recognize the sacrifice our armed forces make deploying to the war zone overseas. Yet, I believe it is this recognition that turns away from the traditional remembrance of November 11. We are turning this day into something new because we need to.
Top left is the current standard plastic poppy, the approved symbol of Canadian remembrance for November 11. It is based on the red corn poppies that grow as weeds in the battlegrounds of World War I. The poppy was featured in the famous poem "In Flanders Fields", which pleads for us to remember the brave sacrifice of soldiers who died for us.
Top right is a poppy with a yellow ribbon. The yellow ribbon is a symbol of support and recognition of our troops. However we feel about the war in Afghanistan, we cannot ignore the efforts and contributions our troops are making overseas. We cannot allow ourselves to diminish their place in society.
Bottom left is a white poppy. This is a relatively new symbol that calls for peace instead of war. It is not a figure of remembrance, but rather a clarion for change. The white poppy sometimes comes with text as seen in the illustration.
Bottom right is the traditional poppy with a green center instead of a black one. Originally, Remembrance poppies had a black center, but were changed to green to "represent the fields of France". Later, the poppy regained its black center, but not until after such period of time as the green material in stockpile had been used up.
We are free to celebrate Remembrance Day as we see fit thanks to the bravery of our veterans. We can observe a moment of silence, we can take the day off to go shopping in the US, we can attend the military service at the cenotaph. What we cannot do is diminish the contribution our veterans have made to keep Canada free. We must not take away crucial benefits that keep our soldiers from becoming destitute in our time of great wealth. As one vet said at today's cenotaph ceremony, "We are not looking for any more. We are just looking to not lose what we have".
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