North Island-Powell River MP and NDP critic for Veteran Affairs Rachel Blaney has put up a display of poppies on the window of her constituency office in Campbell River to observe Remembrance Day amidst the pandemic.
Blaney has put up images of poppies in front of a Canadian flag with the words ‘lest we forget’ and is encouraging everyone in her constituency to honour Remembrance Day –on their windows, yards and jackets.
The NDP critic for Veterans Affairs has also asked people to share their tributes on social media.
“Remembrance Day is a very important annual event in our communities,” said Blaney. “Since we’re not able to gather at cenotaphs and legion halls to share in our remembrance this year, we need to mark the day in other ways.”
On Wednesday Blaney will be laying a wreath at the Campbell River cenotaph as part of a small ceremony that will be broadcast online.
This year the public ceremony for Remembrance Day at the Campbell River Cenotaph this year has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However a live broadcast hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion 137 from Spirit Square will be avaialble for citizens to watch online at 10:45 a.m..
Last week Blaney was at the forefront of condemning grocery retailer Whole Foods for its ban on employees wearing poppies on their uniform at 14 of its locations in Canada. Blaney’s motion condemning the company received unanimous support in the House of Commons.
A subsidiary of Jezz Bezos’ Amazon, Wholefoods sparked a huge outrage throughout the country when it was revealed that the retailer woudn’t allow staff to pin poppies to their uniforms.
Due to the huge backlash and outrage sparked, Wholefoods reversed its policy and now allows its staff to wear poppies.
READ MORE: Whole Foods reverses stance on poppy ban after Parliament passes condemnation