Yep, I work for Veterans Affairs Canada, and I've found through the years that The Royal Canadian Legion has the poppy symbol trademarked, and they are very protective of that trademark. Even the metal pins that VAC hand out to the public and their employees each year have to authorized by The RCL after their inspection. They are protecting the poppy trade mark to protect their sole-source business of selling poppies to help fund veterans needs.
I wonder if the car window stickers are legit?
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Prince Edward Island
'64 Parisienne CS "barn find" - last on the road in '86 ... Owner Protection Plan booklet, original paint, original near-mint aqua interior, original aqua GM floor mats, original 283, factory posi, and original rust.
Since the decals were created and marketed by the same First Responders who stand on the bridges shoulder to shoulder with us, I'll keep mine on my vehicles.
I can't imagine being the lawyer who drew up those papers, what the Heck are they thinking. Is the Government of Ontario being sued for creating the Road sign. As always there is something underlying this that we are unaware of.
Surely the Legion could have handled this in a better way. They certainly don't need this kind of publicity. I know of one local legion that has closed in the last year due to dwindling membership. With three of our extended family in the Canadian forces, I'm a litle more interested in these things than most. Our son and son-in-law have seen tours of duty in Bosnia, and Kosovo as well of two tours to Afghanistan. The old WW2 Veterans don't exactly welcome them with open arms at the legions. If the legion is to survive, things had better start changing.......soon.
-- Edited by Keith Tedford on Thursday 5th of November 2009 11:34:02 PM
Bakery told to nix poppy tribute By Joe Warmington, The Toronto Sun
First it was the Highway of Heroes pins shunned and now the Royal Canadian Legion feels the baking of poppy cookies is violating the rules, too.
What was it John McCrae wrote in his 1915 poem In Flanders Fields?
"Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw, the torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die; We shall not sleep though poppies grow; In Flanders fields."
Somehow the Canadian doctor on the frontlines of the First World War who immortalized the poppy wasn't thinking this when he wrote of a "quarrel with the foe" and "the torch" be ours to hold high. But sadly here we are 94 years later.
Imagine even the suggestion that a Cobourg (Ontario) bakery, fulfilling the order of some poppy cookies for the family of a fallen Canadian soldier from the Afghanistan conflict, would be breaking the copyright rules for the poppy?
"That would be a violation of the trademark," explains Royal Canadian Legion spokesman Bob Butt, adding the legion understands people are "well meaning" when they use the poppy and unaware of the rules. But rules are rules.
"You would not believe the misuses of the poppy we have to investigate," Butt says.
Unaware of this copyright, the people at the Dutch Oven Bakery say that, now that they know, "we won't fulfil the order if asked again next year."
We are supposed to be at war with the Taliban, not each other. We have Canadians at bitter odds over who gets to use the poppy to raise money for victims of war.
Can't imagine our brave soldiers dying in battle for this. And although the legion has taken a tough stand at the top end, not everybody agrees at the branch level. "They have got to get their head out of their butts," says Wayne Powell, poppy chairman for Scarborough's Legion Branch 258 and a retired 54 Division copper. "They are turning down an opportunity to raise a lot of money for veterans' families. These things will sell like hotcakes."
The part that irks him is that there seems to be selective fairness. He says the legion permits the use of the poppy for certain events and charities, while declining others. And Powell can't understand why it's OK for a hockey team to use a poppy on its sweater to raffle off but not pins and cookies. He feels it should be equal for everybody and he also wants a softer approach from legion brass, saying for them to go easier on the threatening lawyer letters.
However, Butt points out that the legion has the right to do with the poppy what it feels is in its best interest and that none of it has ever been for commercial use. The money it raises, he says, is used very well. Meanwhile, those baking cookies or who've made the pins certainly had no intention of breaking any rules and had the best of intentions of helping military families.
Butt says it has nothing to do with that. It isn't theirs to use. It's that simple. The fact is the legion "has the copyright" on the poppy.
"In the case of the Highway of Heroes pins, permission to use the poppy was not sought and permission was not granted." He says those pins create direct competition for the poppy fund, which already generates $15 million a year. "That money goes directly to the veterans," Butt says. "Does the money from the cookies?"
The Highway of Heroes pins have raised more than $8,000 for Afghanistan war veterans' families, but the legion says that isn't the point. There's a principle here and there are guidelines being broken.
Meanwhile, Paul Hallas, the Ganaraska Credit Union CEO who donated $10,000 to make the pins to raise money and awareness for families, says: "What am I supposed to do with the 2,500 pins?" "He can give them to us and we will destroy them," Butt says.
CORPORATE MENTALITY
It seems rigid. Cold. Corporate. Branch 258's Powell says give them to him and he'll raise $50,000 to help families who need help. Damn the protocol!
Both sides make points and there's a way to work this out without it further muddying the pristine image of the poppy, of which every Canadian living free has a piece of in their hearts. There's enough poppy to go around for everybody if it means getting more help to the brave men and women who defend our nation.
In the middle of writing this, I re-read medic John McCrae's In Flanders Fields and couldn't find the words copyright infringement, exclusive or cease and desist anywhere.
What you'll find is a passage that reads:
"We are the dead. Short days ago, we lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, loved, and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields."
Let's not forget that or them. In the name of those who died under our flag, what we need here is compromise.
This is going to end up being a complete PR disaster for the Legion. Their spokesman Butt should take his head out of his butt!
"He says those pins create direct competition for the poppy fund, which already generates $15 million a year. "
"Meanwhile, Paul Hallas, the Ganaraska Credit Union CEO who donated $10,000 to make the pins to raise money and awareness for families, says: "What am I supposed to do with the 2,500 pins?" "He can give them to us and we will destroy them," Butt says."
The credit union was giving them away for free, they were not charging anything for them, so how does that create any competition for the poppy fund? Does he honestly think anyone wearing the pin is now not going to buy a poppy?
The whole purpose of creating the pin was so that people had a way of expressing their support throughout the entire year. You can't buy a poppy in January or April or June or Sept. Our soldiers don't die just in the months of October and November. Hallas said he has already given away over 4,000 of the pins since June. Where the heck was the Legion in June, July, August, Sept. and Oct. if this was such a big issue to them?
I'm sorry, but if this goes on much longer, I am personally going to approach some of the Legion members and tell them what I think of the people running their organization!
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Hillar
1970 LS4 (eventually an LS5) Laurentian 2dr hdtp -and a bunch of other muscle cars...
I must say that ASTRO JET hit on the nose our soldiers are getting killed every month and support is of the upmost importance. Some people dont get it they have personal agendas that they push and it becomes a pissing contest,sad. My father is a WW2 VET 86 years old and when i hear stories from him it makes me think about whats important, family kids . The soldier that passed away with the three year old at home affected my father and me because he was a regular guy serving this country . I hope that this poppy trade mark stuff doesnt make it back to our troops because they need to hear positive support not confusing remarks from a few with a say!
The local paper had a Remembrance Day section today. Hopefully, the local businesses that helped pay for it won't get in trouble for using the poppy in their individual ads.
- retirement home - funeral home - Montessori school - Internet service provider - Extendicare - accountant - furniture store - small engine service - grocery store - pharmacy - construction company - Cameco - NAPA - women's shelter - personal injury law firm!!!!!!!
I put a $10 bill in the box yesterday and took three poppies, they seem to fall off constantly and I don't want to be caught with out one.
you paid $14 for one decal, and only $10 for three poppies ?
Actually I paid $4 for the decal and donated $10 to this site. Two days before I put in $5 and took one poppy which I lost before the day ended and a few days before that I emptied my pocket of change which had a few toonies and loonies and took one poppy which I also lost before the end of the day.
I put a $10 bill in the box yesterday and took three poppies, they seem to fall off constantly and I don't want to be caught with out one.
you paid $14 for one decal, and only $10 for three poppies ?
Actually I paid $4 for the decal and donated $10 to this site. Two days before I put in $5 and took one poppy which I lost before the day ended and a few days before that I emptied my pocket of change which had a few toonies and loonies and took one poppy which I also lost before the end of the day.
Well this web site and cars is not my life. Had a practice tonight and game tomorrow, team fundraiser in the morning, got to go now and get the Suburban ready for a run to Montreal in the morning so I'm done. Wife and youngest daughter heading down to Concordia for orientation day.
Gee Ray. I wish I knew you were going to Montreal. There's an auto wreckers there with a windshield for my 59 Dodge for $100!
Todd, I am not going, my wife and two other mom's andeight 8 17year old girls. Two SUV's are involved. If I was going you know it would be coming back, a little too much to ask of the girls. Was toying with the idea of heading down in the new year to catch a game at the Bell Centre though.
PS. The Suburban with it's beautiful poppy HOH decal will be travelling the Highway of Heroes on this trip.
-- Edited by 73SC on Saturday 7th of November 2009 12:20:23 AM
I put a $10 bill in the box yesterday and took three poppies, they seem to fall off constantly and I don't want to be caught with out one.
1. Stick the poppy pin through your article of clothing. 2. Break the eraser off the end of a lead pencil. 3. Stick the pin into the eraser securely.
An old trick ... you will never lose your poppy again : )
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Prince Edward Island
'64 Parisienne CS "barn find" - last on the road in '86 ... Owner Protection Plan booklet, original paint, original near-mint aqua interior, original aqua GM floor mats, original 283, factory posi, and original rust.
I am a Veteran! You can remove the decals from my 3 plus vehicles " Over my dead body" Give me a break !!!
