Calls for poppies to remember soldiers killed in domestic attacks

Every year on the last Friday of October, prior to the November 11 Remembrance Day,  Canada’s “Poppy Campaign” begins.

As a result of Canadian soldier LtCol John McCrae’s poem “In Flanders Fields”, the poppy has become the symbol to honour and commemorate fallen soldiers in wars and conflicts.

Calls for early start to remember two murdered soldiers.

This year however many people have been requesting the Royal Canadian Legion begin the poppy campaign early.

These many requests from all parts of the country are being made as a way to honour the two soldiers murdered last week in Canada in separate attacks by two young men. They were allegedly heeding a call by ISIS terrorists to their followers to attack soldiers or indeed anyone in Canada and other western countries.

The Royal Canadian Legion offers symbolic plastic poppies each year via voluntary donations (they are not “sold”) in order to raise funds for a variety of services offered to veterans in need. These are traditionally worn in the week leading up to Remembrance Day services.

The Legion has said it is unable to begin the distribution earlier than planned but suggest people contact local branches for poppies left from last year, or wear one they may have left over at home as a way to honour these two soldiers prior to Remembrance Day on November 11, which is a day set aside to reflect and commemorate fallen soldiers from wars and confilcts which is a day set aside to reflect and commemorate fallen soldiers from wars and confilcts

In St-Jean-sur-Richelieu south of Montreal, Quebec, Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent was killed last Monday in a deliberate hit and run by a relatively recent convert to Islam who was later shot and killed by police following a chase and alleged lunge at police with a knife.

Then on Wednesday, Corporal Nathan Cirillo was shot at point blank range while on ceremonial sentry duty at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Ottawa, the nation’s capital. The shooter then ran into the federal parliament buildings a short distance away. He was killed in a shootout with police that made world wide headlines. The killer was also a recent convert to Islam, and new information links him with ISIS ideology.

Many people have begun a public visitation as Cpl Cirillos body lies at a Hamilton Ontario funeral home, and thousands are expected to line city streets for a regimental funeral and procession tomorrow before burial in a field of honour.

WO Vincent was a 28 year veteran who worked first as a military firefighter, and recently in a unit which helped sick and injured soldiers and veterans. A private funeral will be held November 1, at the Cathedral de Longueuil just south of Montreal.