New Hamburg Legion members raise the Poppy Flag at home and on Parliament Hill

New Dundee resident, Chief Petty Officer, 2nd Class (retired) Donald Eenkooren, a Canadian Armed Forces veteran, alongside Kitchener-Conestoga MP Tim Louis during the first-ever Poppy Flag raising on Parliament Hill in Ottawa Oct. 31. Photo courtesy of MP Tim Louis

Galen Simmons, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A tradition started in Wilmot Township a few years ago has now spread to Canada’s capital, and local Royal Canadian Legion members are hoping to take it even further next year.

To officially kick off this year’s Poppy Campaign, New Hamburg Legion members joined Mayor Natasha Salonen, township councillors and staff at the township office and Castle Kilbride in Baden Oct. 31 to raise the “Lest We Forget” Poppy Flag – a tradition started by 33-year Canadian Armed Forces veteran Chief Petty Officer, 2nd Class (retired) Donald Eenkooren in Wilmot back in 2022.

“As we head into November and Remembrance week, it is a time of year to remember and honour all of our veterans who have fought for our freedom and allow us to live in this amazing country,” Salonen said after New Hamburg Legion president Brian Miller presented her with the first official poppy of the 2025 campaign and the Poppy Flag was raised to half mast on the township flagpole. “I’d also like to remind everyone it’s not the only time of the year we should be remembering our veterans; we should be doing that all year. Please be sure to wear a poppy and donate to the New Hamburg Legion, especially during the poppy campaign.”

“This started here approximately three years ago by veteran Donald Eenkooren asking to the Legion to have the Poppy Flag flown in the township, and the township was very receptive and supportive,” Miller added. “That has now gone to Parliament Hill. We have a delegation there today actually doing this same thing we’re doing here for the first time, and it’s really important.”

While the Poppy Flag was being raised in Wilmot, Eenkooren and New Hamburg Legion members Gerry and Kathy Eichler, and Ian and Connie McKie had made the eight-hour trip to Ottawa, where they raised the Poppy Flag – the same flag raised in Wilmot in 2022 – in a first-of-its-kind ceremony on Parliament Hill attended by Legion Command officials and government representatives.

“(Donald) just felt that we needed to do more for veterans in terms of flying flags,” said Connie McKie, who serves as the New Hamburg Legion’s secretary. “He approached (Kitchener-Conestoga MP) Tim Louis’ office, and they were helpful, and then he approached our president, who I believe was Ross Eichler back then, and had the flag flown at Castle Kilbride (for the first time in 2022), and so that would become a yearly event.

“He was still adamant he wanted more, so he pursued flying it at Queen’s Park. For that, he was referred to MPP Catherine Fife, who had put a motion on the floor to have that happen.”

In the meantime, as the local Legion members prepared petitions that would allow the Poppy Flag to be flown at Queen’s Park, Eenkooren and Connie McKie also applied to have the flag flown on Parliament Hill after being told by Louis that the request had to be made by an organization like the New Hamburg Legion.

“We were really surprised that Parliament Hill responded almost immediately and said, ‘Sure, let’s do that,’ ” Connie McKie said. “We weren’t really ready, but that’s okay because that’s where Tim Louis’ office came in, and I can’t tell you enough good things about what their office did to make this happen.”

According to the local Legion secretary, Louis’ office paid the $600 to have a temporary flagpole installed on Parliament Hill so the New Hamburg Poppy Flag could be flown. Louis’ office also rented a couple canopies to protect those who attended the flag raising from the rain, and the MP’s staff sent invitations to important guests, including federal Minister of Veterans Affairs Jill McKnight, who spoke at the ceremony.

Connie McKie said she also invited representatives from Royal Canadian Legion Dominion Command, Provincial Command and anyone else from Legion leadership she could think of. As a result of her efforts, Royal Canadian Legion national executive director Randy Hayley attended to watch the flag raising and officially kick off Canada’s national Poppy Campaign.

Louis, himself, hosted the ceremony, calling the moment “a powerful tribute to those who served. It reminds us that national traditions often begin with a single, determined voice.”

Eenkooren, who had the honour of raising the Poppy Flag, also spoke at the ceremony.

“When a veteran sees that flag, they know what it means,” Eenkooren said. “It’s recognition. It’s remembrance. Once it flies on Parliament Hill, there’s no reason it can’t fly elsewhere.”

“It’s important that we take the lead federally and invite provincial and municipal governments to join us next year in raising the Poppy Flag, recognizing the invaluable contributions of our veterans to our great country,” Louis added.

While the Poppy Flag was only flown for an hour on Parliament Hill this year, Connie McKie said there is every intention from both the Royal Canadian Legion and the federal government to have it flown for a full week next year.

Eenkooren said he plans to continue advocating for the flag to be flown at Queen’s Park and other provincial legislatures across the country.

“Every flagpole is an opportunity to remember,” he said.