For years, they've represented the nation in Afghanistan and beyond. Now, Canada's Armed Forces are getting a prominent spot in toy collections across the country.

The nation's soldiers are the stars of "Heroes Force," a brand-new series of Canadian military action figures.

Military toy collections have long included American characters such as G.I. Joe, but miniature plastic tributes to Canada's soldiers are few and far between.

That lack of representation inspired Canadian Forces member Shannon Thibodeau to create Heroes Force, figurines that are all based on real Canadian soldiers.

"When I had two boys, I got back into collecting toys and vintage toys and I couldn't find nothing Canadian," he said.

Thibodeau teamed up with his graphic designer friend John Alan Sperry who has used his artistic know-how to capture the larger-than-life attributes of Canada's military heroes in miniature molds.

"Most of my work is posters, logos, that sort of thing," he said. "To make a jump into three-dimensional ... it's pretty neat."

Packed into plastic-shell packages, Heroes Force figurines are currently being sold in stores around Ontario and Nova Scotia with Canada's iconic maple leaf displayed prominently on the label.

One of the pint-size soldiers has even made its way to Parliament Hill.

Thibodeau, who has served two tours in Afghanistan and one in Europe, has presented a figurine to Defence Minister Peter MacKay.

He estimates that 6,000 of the plastic action heroes have been produced to date.

Every time a Heroes Force action figure is sold, a dollar will be donated to the Soldiers Fund, which helps injured soldiers and the families of the fallen.

For his part, Sperry said he's proud to lend his talents to a project that is more than just child's play.

"To produce something with a Canadian flag on it and have it have meaning for so many other people, I think that's where it touches me more," he said.

With a report from CTV News's Atlantic Bureau Chief Todd Battis