Why the Royal Canadian Legion says this crosswalk is disrespectful

A gesture to Canada’s war dead by a Chestermere teenager may be shut down over objections around the use of a poppy. Kevin Fleming reports.

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51 comments

    1. They fall off. Ppl don’t usually take care of a plastic flower they buy for a few cents every year. Where do you think they will end up?

    2. @Emerald Woodlands when my kids bring poppy pins from school…i always throw it away..because of pin hazard..someone can get hurt with pins…plus my kids always get into cat fight….dangerous to have poppy pins around the home….no doubt

    1. @kevin welsh yeah u are ………you must be actually pretty bra1n damaged to find something like this offensive……. so your opinion is totally invalid, wrong and nobody CARES

    1. the poppy is a sacred symbol of our collective history. relatives of vets also have a claim on the poppy. I prefer Legion to administrate the trust of the poppy over say… government

    2. @kevin welsh I prefer to have my own claim over the poppy since it’s my inalienable right to do so since it was created by the earth and not the government nor legion for that matter.

  1. The Legion… not even run by veterans anymore what would they know? I see the intent of the gesture and it is a beautiful thing.

  2. They’re really pretty and many soldiers have fallen to the “ground”…. I don’t see it as disrespectful. That might be an extreme interpretation.

    1. yes, but we don’t walk on them. There are protocols about the use of the poppy and those should be respected…

  3. I might paint some poppies in my driveway now. Thanks for the great idea!
    My Grandfather fought in the wars btw, he would love this idea and be 100% in support of his fallen brothers and sisters, not against it.

  4. Looks like hopscotch – let’s call it popscotch and have some fun.  
    I wonder what poppies did before we had veterans?

  5. The Legion has copyrighted the image of the poppy, and has sued other Veteran groups, and even old ladies for using the poppy in a quilt that was being sold for charity. They are pulling out the disrespectful card, because it would be bad optics to sue the town over this. But as a Veteran, it’s more disrespectful that the Legion has tried to monetize a symbol of remembrance.

    1. They copyrighted a flower? Wtf? I thought it was a symbol of remembrance, not a money maker or corporate / company symbol. It’s a flower which has more than one meaning or no meaning in some cases. It’s a flower! Canada uses the maple leaf as it’s symbol but that doesn’t prohibit anyone from using maple leaves on anything else. It’s a leaf!

    1. No conservative should be allowed to wear a poppy since they love to promote war (as long as they don’t have to fight in that war).

    2. @Bob McRae by American standards, it’s liberals who love to bomb innocent children. Just embrace the fact that both sides benefit from war

  6. poppies grow on the ground and cover fields, i understand the hesitation but honestly they should put more poppies. you can imagine yourself walking in flanders field

    1. Right, but not on city cross walks tho…
      Im sure it would be more, respectable if they’re was etched bricks with poppie designs in it. But this is low-effort rage bait, with all the controversies that have been had over the pride flags, that are of the same concept, this seems like its trying to catch headlines. Like ” Go ahead, do a burn out on it, i dare you.”

  7. It is a wonderful way to pay respect and to heighten awareness of ultimate sacrifice. I was deeply moved when I saw this sidewalk.

  8. Legion says it is disrespectful because they have not found a way to make money off of it for their non-veteran directors club, YET.

  9. My father fought in Ortona; he rejected the Legion and I am pretty sure he would have loved the crosswalk.

  10. Respect. To walk the walk. Definition: Act competently, like an expert; follow up on what one has promised. Is this not a reminder to respect those that have given their life.

  11. I’m a retired military member and I DO NOT find that disrespectful! That’s beautiful. I’m blown away this was thought up by a kid. Thank you! Whomever the legion members are that find this disrespectful, I’m surprised. You guys really need to get out.

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