This is Remembrance week.
Today, I bought my poppy from a box on a counter at work.I realised with some sadness that gone are the days when you would buy your poppy from a WWII Veteran.They stood proudly wearing their medals, Regimental crest and/or headdress.I always tried to buy my poppy from a real person because I liked to thank them.It is a small gesture, but it was sincere.As the years went on, it became increasingly difficult to find a WWII Veteran who was selling poppies.
As of Remembrance Day 2007 there is a single surviving Canadian WWI Veteran. I don't know how many WWII Veterans are left, but there are very few of them standing out in the cold selling poppies. There is a whole new generation of Canadian Veterans from peace-keeping missions around the world. Although my gesture is still small, it is still sincere: "thank you".
