For instance, it was flown above the lodgings of Pierre Du Gua de Monts at Île Sainte-Croix in 1604. After the early Europeans explorers had realized that Canada was not the spice-rich Orient, … Stanley’s design was based on the Royal Military College of Canada flag. The Canadian flag is twice as long as it is wide. From 1868 to 1965 both the British Union Flag and the Canadian Red Ensign were used as Canadian flags. Saint-Cyr immediately set about modifying his design, and within an hour he had a finished sketch that all three men approved. It is from the sugar maple that we make maple syrup and it is the leaf of the sugar maple that adorns the Canadian national flag, also unofficially known as the Maple Leaf and l’Unifolié (French for “the one-leafed”). Upside Down Canada Flag Meaning About Collections. Random Tree The length of the flag is twice that its width. Answer (1 of 4): The Canadian flag is red with a white square in the center with a red maple leaf and was adopted by the parliament in the year 1964. Maple trees, particularly the sap, served as an important food source to Canadian aboriginal people. There is also a 11-pointed red maple leaf centered in the middle of the white band. A black Canadian flag with a single blue line in the center is flying outside the Ontario Provincial Police Association building in Barrie, instead of the red and white maple leaf flag. Besides, why would a self-respecting country adopt a rodent with buck teeth and an outlandish tail — a cartoon animal that, some allege, consumes its own testicles when threatened and occasionally forgets to get out of the way of a tree it has felled — as the image it projects to the world? Jack Boland/Toronto Sun. The roughly one-third of Canadians who were neither of French nor British lineage tended to prefer a flag that was uniquely Canadian, and younger Canadians (those born after World War II) were likely to opt for something new and different that completely broke with the past. A black Canadian flag with a single blue line in the center is flying outside the Ontario Provincial Police Association building in Barrie, instead of the red and white maple leaf flag. The real plus for the maple leaf was its very lack of an established personality and its innocence of mythic or commercial associations. Its only advantage is that it is innocuous; that it produces tepid approval, mild disapproval, or indifference; that it can therefore be adopted without any display of strong feeling whatever.”. Macfarlane, Walter, & Ross, 2002. Via a “mind-numbing series of secret ballots,” the committee then selected a single design from each category to put to a final, sudden-death secret ballot: The so-called “Pearson Pennant” (a three-leaf design favored by Prime Minister Lester Pearson), a flag with a single stylized maple leaf, and a similar single maple leaf design which also incorporated the Union Jack and the fleur-de-lys: The Pearson Pennant looked too much like a Liberal Party flag to be acceptable to a majority of the committee members, and the third finalist was regarded as an ungainly compromise that pleased only the Tories, so the single stylized maple leaf motif won the day. At a time when fierce tribal and religious loyalties repeatedly threatened the survival of the young dominion, anyone could look at the maple leaf and see an unassuming, neutral symbol that posed no threat to his or her identity or interests. Memories From The 1992 World Flag Flap Globe And Mail. The Canadian Flag. Cohen, Andrew. 18 patriotic canadian flag tattoos metis flag red canadian flag black and white printable the thin blue line flag nypd flag flap Other Canadian Flags CanadaCanada S Maple Leaf FlagCanada Map Of WorldatlasCanadaCanada Day 2020 When Is Celebrations AndCanada S Long Gradual Road To IndependenceCanadian Flag Black And White Printable American Blue Stripe18 Patriotic Canadian… Despite a fourteen-day filibuster by disgruntled Tories, the flag issue was finally put to a vote on 15 December 1964, and the Flag Committee’s recommendation was accepted by a vote of 163 to 78. Hastily silk-screened in [federal commissioner of exhibitions John] Reid’s department, this prototype was hoisted up the flagpole at 24 Sussex Drive togreet Prime Minister and Mrs. Pearson with their breakfast on the morning of November 7. the stars in the flag of the USA. It was created by a small group led by Michael S. Martin, who was then the representative for Labrador South in the provincial legislature. The national flag has a height to length proportion of 2:3. See disclaimer. A beaver was a popular choice, but it proved unsatisfactory for reasons described by Archbold: The beaver was in many ways lacking as a potential national symbol. Recently, the Thin Blue Line flag has been waved by pro-police supporters, countering protests across North America demanding racial justice and an overhaul […] The Royal Union Flag is also an official flag in Canada. It was gathered every spring and became a vital part of the recipes and preserving for the settlers. Opinion No Honour In Flying Canadian Flag Upside Down. Did Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Refuse To Give Interviews to White Journalists? The Canadian flag is a red field with a centered white square that holds a perfectly formed maple leaf. In the early days of the Canadian Confederation, the Royal Union flag, or Union Jack, was still flown in British North America. The stylized maple leaf is made up of 13 diamonds. ISBN 978-0-670-06738-1. The Lion has been England's national animal since the 12th century. Regardless of how old we are, we never stop learning. The group wanted a design that would represent Canada's independence and unity, but members could not decide on a final product. The width of the flag is twice the height. History records that … A handful of viral clips attempted to further a conspiracy theory about the COVID-19 vaccine. On February 15, 1965 the red maple leaf flag was inaugurated as the National Flag of Canada. Designer George Stanley’s 11-point maple leaf with its bold background was presented and chosen from three official designs. Apart from being regularly skinned for profit, it is most noted for its engineering prowess. The bold maple leaf prominently placed in the middle of the flag is one of the most recognizable around the world at sporting and political events. The red and white flag featuring a stylized maple leaf was proclaimed Canada's national flag by Queen Elizabeth II in 1965. Today, the maple leaf is a recognized symbol of Canada; it has also come to symbolize unity, tolerance, and peace. From about 1868 - 1965 the Red Ensign, a red flag with the Union Jack in the upper corner, was used as the flag of Canada. The specifics of the design don’t represent or mean anything in particular, and the flag is simply supposed to serve as a unifying symbol of the country. The other nine diamonds represent the other 6 provinces and 3 territories that comprise Canada today along with the original four. In the lifetime of anyone younger than about fifty, the Canadian flag has always been its current simple, yet bold and distinctive, red-and-white maple leaf design. The red maple leaf in the center of the flag was first adopted as Canada’s national emblem in 1860 for decorations celebrating the Prince of Wales’ visit. Conspiracy theories abounded during a partisan recount of Arizona's 2020 presidential election results. Their flag is also known as Maple leaf or l’Unifolié. On February 15, 1965, the maple leaf made its debut. For almost a century, Canada did not have an official flag of its own. It is the first flag to have been adopted by both houses of Parliament and officially proclaimed by the Canadian monarch as the … Afterwards, the completely white flag of the French Royal N… Recently, the Thin Blue Line flag has been waved by pro-police supporters, countering protests across North America demanding racial justice and an overhaul […] Canadians felt they may need their own symbol to fly at events considered truly Canadian. The color red is used to symbolize prosperity and hope. The colors of the flag had been decided by the much beloved King George V of Britain in 1921. The idea of a single-leaf Canadian flag was part of the public discussion long before the formal flag debate, and a single leaf had often previously been used to symbolize Canada. A black Canadian flag with a single blue line in the center is flying outside the Ontario Provincial Police Association building in Barrie, instead of the red and white maple leaf flag. Canada’s motto, A Mari usque ad Mare in Latin; D’un ocean a l’autre in French; or “From sea to sea” is inscribed in the Coat of Arms. ‘Better Call Saul’ Filming at ‘Breaking Bad’ Locations, Videos Reveal. A former senior official with the Ontario Provincial Police says a darkened Canadian flag with a thin blue line hoisted at the OPP association (OPPA) building in Barrie, Ont. To honour the history and symbolism of the Maple Leaf Flag, every year since 1996 Canadians have celebrated National Flag of Canada on Feb. 15. Many English Canadians, particularly those born before World War II, wanted to retain the Red Ensign to preserve both tradition and a visible symbol of Canada’s British heritage, while many French Canadians were opposed to (exclusively) retaining colonial symbols such as the Union Jack. The red maple leaf in the center of the flag was first adopted as Canada’s national emblem in 1860 for decorations celebrating the Prince of Wales’ visit. It’s relatively new and based on a symbol the size of your hand, yet it holds a large amount of historic pride. Was Biden 1st President To Omit ‘God’ in National Prayer Proclamation? These claims are all a bit contrived (Canada had two territories when the maple leaf flag was adopted, and the territories themselves have governments as well), and they are easily dismissed. What the ‘Choosing Your COVID-19 Vaccine’ Meme Gets Wrong. Since 1965, the maple leaf has been the centrepiece of the National Flag of Canada and the maple tree bears the leaves that have become the most prominent Canadian symbol, nationally and internationally. Over the course of the next century, the Red Ensign — a red flag with a Union Jack in the canton and the Canadian coat of arms in the fly — became the de facto (if unofficial) Canadian flag: (Not until 1924 did an order-in-council sanction the flying of the Red Ensign from Canadian government buildings abroad, and another twenty years elapsed before a second order-in-council authorized its use on federal government buildings within Canada.). Marcus Schmöger, 24 August 2001. As author Rick Archbold noted: Many of these flags bore Union Jacks and fleur-de-lys. The Union Jack from Britain was also flown due to Canada’s status as a province of the United Kingdom. Events leading up to the decision to adopt the Canadian maple leaf flag. It was a design contest for student Meaning behind the flag of canada canada map of worldatlas the thin blue line flag nypd canada canadian flag red maple leaf frame card. Given how starkly Canadians were divided along demographic and ethnic lines, the chances of reaching a consensus on a new national flag often seemed hopeless. The three of them rushed up and down the hall to confer and look at each of Saint-Cyr’s latest sketches. The first was the banner of France — a blue square flag bearing three gold fleurs-de-lys. Former prime minister John Diefenbaker protested that with a maple leaf flag motif incorporated the flag would convey “no recognition of history; no indication of the existence of French and English Canada [or] the partnership of the races; no acknowledgement of history.” Other critics complained that the maple leaf was not a truly national symbol because the sugar maple tree did not grow west of the Ontario/Manitoba border, and that “the maple leaf flag is neither [unmistakably Canadian nor a unifying force]. Archbold, Rick. From the Pacific to the Atlantic oceans, the residents of the Great White North were discussing how the flag would be styled as the 1960s bloomed. The Maple Leaf Flag. On July 24, 1534, Jaques Cartier landed at Gaspe, erected a cross and claimed Canada for France, this symbol of the Royal Fleurs-de-lis of France was engraved in that cross and represents the first heraldic symbol raised in Canada. Therefore, in the Canadian flag not to speak of a red-white-red tricolor. The Upside Down Canadian Flag At 1992 World. Maple has long been a staple of the people of the provinces and lands of the northern part of North America. In 1834 the St. Jean-Baptiste Society, a French-Canadian patriotic group, adopted the maple leaf as their group symbol. Were These Electric Cars Abandoned Because Their Batteries Failed? At the canton, the cypher of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , as former colonel-in-chief of the Royal Canadian Army Cadets. It has been used to symbolize Canada, the land and its people. After weeks of parliamentary debate, the flag question was finally referred to a fifteen-member, all-party committee in September 1964 — a risky move, given that twice before (in 1925 and again in 1945-46) committees tasked with choosing a new Canadian flag had been derailed by political squabbling. The Canadian bear pride flag variants shown above seem to have only been used online, because only their images, no photos, could be found on the Web so far. Whether you’re studying times tables or applying to college, Classroom has the answers. Maple leaf in thé center is a tribute to the appreciation of nature and the environment of canada. “Do you think maybe it’s too busy at the base?” Reid asked after they’d been at this for some time. These are three variants of "Canadian bear pride flags", i.e. Rules for displaying the american flag world flags and hidden meanings police take iraq war veteran s union jack do you know the correct way up. There is some evidence that the banner also flew above Samuel de Champlain’s habitation in 1608. The relatively young flag came about a little more than 50 years ago in response to the people in the far flung territories wanting a prominent flag … Flags. The urge to find additional, hidden meanings in national symbols is a powerful one, and in the years since the adoption of the new Canadian flag, claims have been advanced that the number of points (11) on the stylized maple leaf it features has a special significance: It represents the Canadian provinces and territories (one point for each of the ten provinces, with an extra point for the territories), or it represents ten provinces and one country; or it represents Canada’s eleven governments (ten provincial and one federal): There’s been some speculation that the eleven points on the maple leaf on the flag of Canada, nine above and two below, stood in some way for the number of provinces and territories in Canada. There is no official symbolism to the Maple Leaf flag, beyond the fact that the maple leaf is one of Canada’s best-known national emblems and red and white are Canada’s official colours. The colors are said to symbolize the Incas and their lasting impact on the country. On older flags the maple leaf has 13 or even 15 points. And those who weren’t around for the Canadian flag debate of the mid-1960s may find it difficult to believe how controversial the adoption of this seemingly innocuous flag truly was; how contentious and divisive a move it was for Prime Minister Lester Pearson to stand before a Royal Canadian Legion convention in May 1964 and say: “I believe most sincerely that it is now time for Canadians to unfurl a flag that is truly distinctive and truly national in character; as Canadian as the maple leaf which should be its dominant design, a flag easily identifiable as Canada’s; a flag which cannot be mistaken for the emblem of any other country; a flag of the future which honours also the past; Canada’s own and only Canada’s.”. A black Canadian flag with a single blue line in the center is flying outside the Ontario Provincial Police Association building in Barrie, instead of the red and white maple leaf flag. The Canadian flag made its first official appearance on February 15, 1965. It was stylized but still evocative of the sugar maple. Queen Elizabeth II of England gave a formal proclamation before the debut of the hallmark maple leaf flag that represents Canada. The length of the hall would allow them to get far enough away to see how it showed up at a distance. After Canada was settled by Europeans, maple syrup production provided a convenient source of sugar. Her full bio and clips can be seen at www.vegaswriter.com. flags where the Maple Leaf of the Canadian flag is replaced by a bear footprint. The maple leaf had been a national symbol since at least 1868, and its red colour has been described as a symbol of Canadian sacrifice during World War I. Pearson’s original flag proposal showed three red maple leaves on a white field with narrow blue vertical stripes at either end. 1 The Maple Leaf on the Flag In 1925, debate over a national flag began in the Canadian Privy Council, a group of consultants for the British queen. ISBN 0-9732346-6-0. Some years ago, during a Toronto Blue Jays baseball away-game in the United States, a U.S. Marine Corps honour guard carried the U.S. flag onto the field, alongside the Canadian Maple Leaf. Known as the "Maple Leaf Flag," the Canadian flag has two colors — red, derived from St. George’s cross, and white, derived from the French royal emblem. This material may not be reproduced without permission. Two months later, on the morning of 15 February 1965, the Red Ensign was officially lowered for the last time from a special flagstaff erected in front of the Peace Tower on Ottawa’s Parliament Hill, and then, on the stroke of noon, the red-white-red rectangle with a maple leaf was raised in its place. But, as Rick Archbold observed, the innocuous nature of the maple leaf also made it a highly appealing and powerful symbol for a new Canadian national flag: When you think about the sugar maple leaf, you begin to understand how it won almost by default. The design shown above that was selected as the Flag Committee’s recommendation isn’t quite the design that was ultimately adopted, for it bears a maple leaf with thirteen points. The 4 diamonds at the base represent the original 4 provinces that joined to make Canada at confederation. If you're planning to travel or visit a doctor, the CDC says cover your face... Do Videos Show Magnets Sticking to People’s Arms After COVID-19 Vaccine? The eleven points on the maple leaf of Canada's flag represent the number of Canadian provinces and territories. Less than a generation ago, the national flag of Canada became a point of conversation among the people of the widespread country. Not everyone was thrilled to fly these flags with vague national ties. Classroom is the educational resource for people of all ages. Stanley's memo does discuss Canada's national colours being red and white, with red considered to represent the English and white the French. For several decades, "The Maple Leaf Forever" was Canada's national song. These symbols are intended to bring about a sense of… The maple leaf on the flag is a generic maple, representing the 10 species of maple trees native to Canada. Kimberley McGee is an award-winning journalist with 20+ years of experience writing about education, jobs, business and more for The New York Times, Las Vegas Review-Journal, Today’s Parent and other publications. The Canadian maple leaf symbolizes Canada's people and its land. The leaf on the Canadian flag doesn't represent any specific species of maple. They then took this refined leaf to the Commission’s silk-screen shop, where late that night three prototypes of the eleven-point design were produced. Toronto: Penguin Canada, 2008. Sir Sandford Fleming put it even more caustically back in 1893, when he observed that “There are other members of the same natural order (Rodentia), such as rats and mice, not less active and industrious than the beaver, and for this quality alone no one would dream of selecting one of these vermin for our national emblem.”, The sugar maple leaf was an obvious choice as a symbol that had long been used to represent Canada, but even that option had its detractors. © 1995 - 2021 by Snopes Media Group Inc. After a month’s cooling-off period, the House of Commons took up the final stage of the flag debate at the end of November 1964. The Red Ensign, with a Union Jack in the upper left corner and a White symbolizes peace and purity, while red represents the blood spilled in the fight. However, the road to the nation’s Maple Leaf flag was a turbulent one and was proceeded by decades of divide along British and French colonial roots, termed by historians as “The Great Flag Debate.” The flag of Canada, a red stylized maple leaf with 11 points at the centre of a white background and vertical red bands on the left and right side, not only represents the cultural heritage of the nation but also symbolizes hope, peace, tranquillity, and neutrality dominant in the country.