OTTAWA, ON, November 21, 2003 - The National Council of Veteran Associations (NCVA) said today that Canadian veterans were owed an apology for the use by the Royal Canadian Legion of the Poppy Puppy, which included part of the poem, In Flanders Fields.

The issue of the toy Poppy Puppy came to a head when The Vancouver Sun today published a front page story that the Poppy Puppy was manufactured by a Mr. Leonardo da Vancouver of Global Essence Media.

NCVA Chairman Cliff Chadderton stated that the Poppy Puppy and Flanders Fields should never have been used as a commercial venture by any organization.

Mr. da Vancouver has been charged with three sexual offences and this past Friday Vancouver police distributed his picture with a warning to women and children that he poses a high risk to reoffend.