Down the escalator and next to the waterfall wall inside the Ottawa International Airport, you'll find Ian Burleton distributing poppies. It's a spot Burleton has made famous with airport staff. Since 2015, he's greeted travellers every day in November leading up to Remembrance Day, from seven in the morning to, some nights, all the way past midnight, sharing the poppies' history.
"I think of the men who fought in the trenches, and World War Two, the men and women who gave up their lives," Burleton said. Both Burleton's mother and father are veterans. Handing out poppies was something he and his mother Audrey, who served in the Royal Naval Women's Service, did together before she passed away in 2018.
Now he remembers and honours her by continuing to distribute poppies in the same spot she once did. "She always believed in volunteering. I believe in volunteering too and to put back to the community the best of my ability to help veterans," he said.
"The torch is in my direction, and I'm hoping to be as long as possible, giving my time with the legion." Burleton has been a member of the Royal Canadian Legion in Manotick for 41 years, volunteering his time and raising money. He says that while he's always blown away by the amount of donations and support that he receives, he hopes the poppies inspire people to educate themselves and others on its history and to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
"There's hope for the next generation that they understand what it mean.
