Governor General to receive symbolic first poppy of the 2011 National Poppy Campaign
By Contributor
His excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada, as well as patron of The Royal Canadian Legion, will receive the symbolic first poppy today from Patricia Varga, Dominion president of The Royal Canadian Legion, to kick off the 2011 National Poppy Campaign.
Poppies will be available to the general public beginning Oct. 28.
Each year, approximately 18 million poppies are distributed in communities across Canada. Officially adopted in Canada in 1921 by the Great War Veterans’ Association (the predecessor of today’s Royal Canadian Legion), poppies are recognized as the national symbol of remembrance for the 117 000 Canadian men and women who gave their lives during military service around the world.
