REGINA, Sask. — The first poppy presented in Saskatchewan this year carries a story that began long before Thursday’s ceremony in Regina, with a woman who served overseas during the Second World War and a daughter determined to keep her memory alive.
Lieutenant Governor Bernadette McIntyre received the first poppy of the 2026 Royal Canadian Legion campaign from provincial president Roberta Taylor at Legion Branch 001, as the organization marks its 100th anniversary.
McIntyre said she would wear the poppy in memory of her late mother, who served as a radar operator with the Royal Air Force in Liverpool, England, during the Second World War.
“Mom was proud of her contributions to the war effort and of being a veteran,” McIntyre told the gathering.
The moment gave the annual ceremony a deeply personal meaning. Alongside honouring her mother, McIntyre said the poppy represents her gratitude to all the women and men who have served in Canada’s military.
“Wearing a red flower on your lapel may seem like a small gesture, yet with millions of poppies sold throughout Canada each year, the benefits are huge,” she said.
Those benefits extend beyond public remembrance. Donations to the Legion’s Poppy Fund help veterans and their families with needs including food, housing, transportation and medical expenses as they navigate life during and after military service.
“This year marks 100 years of the Royal Canadian Legion standing on three pillars,” said Chad Wagner, executive director of the Legion’s Saskatchewan Command. “Veterans, remembrance and community.”
Wagner said the annual campaign raises money to support veterans across the province and help them transition to civilian life. The assistance can make a difference in the everyday challenges that remain after a uniform is put away.
The ceremony also recognized retired Cpl. Georgia Morgan, who received Saskatchewan’s second poppy. A Canadian Forces veteran and executive member of Regina Branch 001, Morgan enlisted in 1978 at just 18 years old, hoping to pursue a medical career through military service.
After basic training at CFB Cornwallis in Nova Scotia, she trained as a medic at CFB Borden and the National Defence Medical Centre in Ottawa. She was later selected to work in the centre’s cardiac ward, an uncommon opportunity for a junior member, and went on to serve at CFB Wainwright in Alberta.
Morgan’s life in uniform was shaped by both opportunity and barriers. She told the ceremony that, after marrying fellow medic Dick Morgan, she struggled to secure a military posting that would allow her to join him in Germany. She eventually became a military spouse, using her medical training as a civilian medical administrator while raising their two children overseas during the Cold War.
After 22 years of service, the couple settled in Regina. Dick has since died, while Georgia continues to volunteer with the Canadian Red Cross, deploying across the country when disasters strike, and remains active with her local Legion.
For Morgan, the poppy honours a wider circle than those who died on the battlefield. It remembers military members lost in training accidents, those who served in support roles and veterans who carried physical or psychological injuries long after their service ended.
“For a lot of people, it’s become almost routine at this time of year, just a pin on a poppy without a second thought,” Morgan said. “But for some of us, we take a moment to reflect.”
Her words offered a reminder that the effects of military service are not always visible, and that remembrance can include people whose sacrifices were made far from the front lines.
“As a veteran, I see the poppy as a symbol of a shared identity with those who are willing to sign over their life in service to their country and the many who paid that price,” Morgan said.
The ceremony’s historical perspective came from Kelsey Lonie, a Regina-based military historian, educator and author, who spoke about the Legion’s century of advocacy and community service.
The organization emerged from efforts to unite veterans after the First World War, when many returning soldiers struggled to find medical care, financial assistance, employment and recognition. Several veterans’ groups joined together in 1926 to create a national organization, and Regina Branch 001 was established that same year.
Lonie said the Legion’s history also includes people whose service was not always met with equal treatment. Indigenous veterans faced discrimination after serving their country, while Chinese, Japanese and Black Canadians encountered barriers to enlistment, voting rights or acceptance within veterans’ organizations.
“Service and sacrifice have taken many forms and remembrance has not always included the experiences of all who have served,” Lonie said.
Regina Branch 001 has preserved its own part of that history at 1820 Cornwall St. Its memorial building was completed in 1951 and officially opened by Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip during their visit to Regina. The branch’s museum and archives now house more than 5,000 artifacts, including photographs, uniforms, documents, letters and other records that connect military history to individual lives.
“Behind every photograph, letter, uniform, and medal is a personal story,” Lonie said. “Some tell of service overseas. Others speak of life on the home front, the challenges of returning home, or the support of family and communities.”
Taylor said the Legion’s work has evolved over a century, but its responsibility to veterans and their families remains central. She called the poppy a symbol of courage, loss and service, and said the annual campaign asks Canadians to take part in remembrance rather than leave it solely to those who served.
“Remembrance is not only a military duty or a Legion duty,” Taylor said. “It’s a Canadian duty.”
Poppies will be available to the public beginning Saturday, Oct. 24, at Legion branches, participating merchants and public venues across Saskatchewan. They are distributed freely, with donations welcomed to support the Poppy Fund.
