Montréal, November 3, 2014 – VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) – the Diamond Sponsor for The Royal Montreal Regiment Centennial Gala held on 01 November 2014, has announced that, in honour of Remembrance Day, it has made a donation to The Royal Canadian Legion (the Legion), on behalf of its passengers and employees. As well, VIA Rail will offer free poppies to all passengers and staff on board its trains. Distribution of the poppies will be rolled out across the country over the course of next few days and will last until November 11th.
“This year’s poppy campaign has a particular significance. It reminds us not only of conflicts in distant lands or at other times but it also honours the present-day women and men of the Canadian Armed Forces here and abroad. With this modest donation, VIA Rail wishes to honour those who risk so much for our freedoms and our rights,” said Yves Desjardins-Siciliano, President and CEO of VIA Rail.
The RMR Foundation hopes that everyone travelling on Via Rail who receives a poppy will post it on social media to #poppyproud and challenge all your friends to do the same!
The Canadian military and the railroad have always been closely connected. Snapshots taken during the two world wars often showed Canada’s soldiers being transported by train to the Atlantic coast, where cargo ships would await them, ready to depart for Europe. To mark this historic relationship, VIA Rail has been offering members of the Canadian Armed Forces, Veterans and their families a 25% discount on the best available fare, with no route or date restrictions, since 2010. Through this program, more than 100,000 soldiers and members of their families have travelled on board.