Early November is poppy season, a time when Canadians wear the symbol to remember all those who fought in the First World War and in every conflict since.
Invariably, though, some insensitive retailer will prohibit the sale of poppies on its premises.
This year, the Diss-the-Veterans Award goes to Montreal-based Dollarama Incorporated.
As a private company, the chain has the right to accept or decline any charitable initiative but, in banning the poppy box from its 1,100 stores, Dollarama has surely stepped on a public relations third rail:
Most Canadians absolutely hate to see veterans being disrespected, be it intentionally or not.
Dollarama’s statement to CTV News doesn’t pass the sniff test, suggesting the decision was related to concerns about theft.
A phrase associated with Remembrance Day is “Lest we forget,” and sadly, it seems some people, like those running Dollarama, have indeed forgotten.
I don’t shop there but if I did, I’d find another $1.00 store to buy my cheap junk. Why?, because I disagree with there decision and I’m pro military.
Same goes for all industries, celebrities or sports teams. I have my list of “no-support” entities and you should have yours too.
No – I am not Andrew, but yes I do realize that you have an extreme problem with logic, reason and being rational, based on your posts on The Rebel.
There is no rage at all, but I understand that you get scared by opposing opinions to the views that you have been spoon fed, since you can’t think for yourself.
For the past three weeks I have not seen any shop having a poppy display in Laval, Quebec – the province’s second largest city. Every year it is more and more rare to see poppies for distribution/donations anywhere in Quebec.
This is tantamount to stores refusing to carry US flags for Veteran’s Day in the US. That would never happen, but the US owners sure don’t care when it comes to Canada.
If not then celebrate the fact that you have a brother in Andrew who is just as dumb and asinine as you are. You both make the same stupid comments and expect to be taken seriously.
Since they’ve cloned their stores (Home Depot idea), they’ve upped their prices.
They pay taxes in Canada, they provide jobs to Canadians, they are a benefit to the Canadian economy – what the fuck more do you want?
No one is deprived of getting a poppy here – they are everywhere. Considering Dollerama is huge and incredibly successful, I suspect Canadians don’t give a shit about this, because a reasonable person will just get a poppy somewhere else.
I guess David Menzoid has to fill up his day somehow.
I respect any business or institution that has a UNIFORM non solicitation policy, but if they allow one, they must allow all.
Something that was not known about poppies for many years is that poppy seeds will lie dormant in the ground untill the ground is turned and disturbed thus airating the soil. People always wondered why they bloomed suddenly on soldiers’ graves.
I am a Veteran’s Affairs retiree. And I would like to take this opportunity to mention something which Jean Cretien ordered a news blackout about…..did you know that there was a war between Canada and Croatia? It lasted eight days, was the biggest battle since Korea, and Canadian troops kicked ass.
There were 900 Canadian troops deployed, the Croats thought because of our liberal nice-guy image that they would be push overs and met them with a force four times their number. The Croats left with a black eye and a bloodied nose.
Canadian forces suffered no casualties….
Tune in to CKUA.com at 7:00 pm MST tonight for ‘No Stone Left Forgotten’. The concept started when a grandchild placed a poppy on her grandmother’s grave every Remembrance Day. When she started to bring her own daughter to do so, the daughter asked why the other graves were not remembered. Hence, the start of the ‘No Stone Left Forgotten’ movement. I listened to the initial broadcast of story and music this past Sunday, and found it very uplifting. Particularly the young people who understood, as opposed to our political elite. One story is of a soldier who found out his wife had birthed twins while he was under mortar fire.
A great positive antidote to the actions of Dollarama type assholes, who can be boycotted after. Remembrance needs to be the focus at this time.
This is no small business “Dollarama” is on the Stock Market and is a public Traded entity!
This I don’t believe is a Franchised store at least I have never seen Ads’ advertising to sell Franchises to independent Business people who wish to open a store!
This is a very poor business decision as far as I am concerned! Certainly does not do anything for Public Relations!
As Karan below has stated many migrants deal in this store who are not aware of the sacrifices the Canadian people made in the Canadian Military in the First, Second, Korean War as well as battle in Afghanistan and now Syria and Iraq ( Iraq only as Trainers of the Iraqi Military ) ……. I say if these immigrants or Migrants are not aware of the service and Sacrifices’ Canadian Military members did than they most certainly have not been Vetted properly by the Canadian Liberal Immigration Government Department which was under the Management and Ministry of John McCallum and Now presently under the charge of Ahmed Hussen a Canadian of Somalian Decent why is this education not being given to Migrants’ and Immigrants?
Most of Dollarama stores (franchise) are owned by new immigrants they in turn survive on the business generated by new immigrants. Most of these stores are located in metro cities the bastion of postmodern, liberal, progressive Canada. Very few among these new arrivals have any real idea about Remembrance day, which is further fulled by liberal/progressive propaganda of anti- colonialism & anti-nationalism, as it’s not a part of their culture & never observed in their home countries.
E.g. In India, who suffered 130,000 casualties during the ‘The Great War’ and had the largest voluntary contingent during World War 2’, hardly anybody outside Army circle knows anything about the Remembrance Day. Even in the Indian Army memorial service is limited to couple of cantonments (Force Bases) attended by the army personnel only. Can’t expect people from places like china, philippines, pakistan, bangladesh, iran, iraq, afghanistan, nigeria, somalia, ethipoia, sugan, egypt & rest of the over 200 countries represented here in Canada to observe a day which happened a century ago.
This latest trend of forgoing poppies sales in their stores is not limited to dollarama, many of the stores in metro cities have stopped this practice in last few years.
Canada is not a multiculture utopia it has become a hodgepodge of cultures, where every other culture, except Canadian, is admirable thus worth preserving. Just wait for the day when they come to each other’s throat for domination.