Every November 11th, people across many nations commemorate an important moment the world over: the end of the First World War. It is a solemn, heavy-hearted day. One of great respect and reflection. In Canada, people pin poppies on sweaters, jackets and scarves to honour the brave Veterans who served, and continue to serve, on behalf of our country.

Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae of Guelph, Ontario served as a medical officer during the First World War. He left his legacy in fifteen lines, "In Flanders Fields", a poem recited by children and elders alike. "In Flanders Fields" was penned after the death of a comrade. It features the vibrant poppy.

The poppy is a resilient flower. It bloomed over the once-barren battlefields of Flanders, France. It made its way into a poem on a discarded page. It tucked itself into Punch Magazine and the hearts of its readers, including Moina Michael, an American teacher who wore the poppy as a tribute. It sparked an idea in Madame Guerin, who made and sold poppies to raise money for war-torn France. It fell into the hands of The Great War Veteran’s Association in Canada, which named the poppy the official Flower of Remembrance. That organization is now the Royal Canadian Legion, Canada’s largest Veteran support and community service organization.

More recently, the poppy lay amongst other poppies in donation boxes. These donation boxes were held by Veterans scattered across bus stations, banks, malls and restaurants. In 2020, the most recent reported campaign year, 11.5 million poppies were distributed across Canada, resulting in $15 million dollars in donations to support Veterans and their families1. TD Bank Group is a proud national 2022 Poppy Campaign partner and offers poppies at branches across the country.