Wearing poppies in the workplace became an issue last week in Nova Scotia. Photo by PASCAL HUOT /POSTMEDIAArticle contentLast week, Premier Tim Houston made a cryptic statement on his social media presence about judges supposedly preventing “individuals working in certain court facilities” from wearing the poppy.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentHe called the supposed order “disgusting” and used the rest of the post to pander pro-military sentiment and suggested introducing legislation to protect Nova Scotians who choose to wear the poppy in their workplace.Article contentArticle contentArticle contentHouston didn’t give any information about where this supposed order came from and I personally have not heard of any such order but the chief justices did respond shortly after, saying they support any judge in maintaining the neutrality of our courtrooms so it’s possible that the order came from a judge in Nova Scotia.Article contentLast year, the premier made a similar statement targeting a school with a large population of new immigrant families, some refugees, which had reasonably asked serving families to avoid wearing uniforms to the school so as to not frighten the children recently moved from war-torn homes.Article contentLet me tell you, as a military spouse and daughter, what actually needs protecting in Nova Scotia because it isn’t the poppy.Article contentWhen American Moina Michael designed the first remembrance poppy, inspired by her reading of Canadian John McCrae’s poem In Flanders Fields, she wore it to honour the fallen dead. When Anna Guerin from France, inspired by Michael’s action, started selling fabric poppies, she did it to raise funds for war orphans and other charitable purposes.Article contentArticle contentBoth campaigned for the poppy to be used as the official symbol for remembrance in their respective countries and abroad, and the rest is history. But the poppy as a symbol of Canadian patriotism and nationalism is a newer phenomenon, and one that politicians are too eager to capitalize on.Article contentNobody gets more excited to wear (or insist that you wear) the poppy at Remembrance Day than some opinionated man who never served and, for the rest of the year, does nothing to help Canadian veterans or their families.Article contentWe all know them, those angry uncles on Facebook, the chatty neighbours who rant about the woes of the world as you’re trying to buckle your kid into their car seat. They’re never the relatives or neighbours who check on me and my toddler when my serving partner is away, they don’t donate to charities supporting veterans and they definitely don’t support social programs that could make life easier for veterans and all Nova Scotians.
Letter: It isnt the poppy that needs protection
