On February 15, 1965, the stylized 11-point maple leaf that has come to stand as a symbol of Canada was hoisted for the first time on Parliament Hill. Until then we flew the Union Jack. Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson sparked the Great Flag Debate in 1964 with calls for a new design. He preferred some cockamamy rag but thank god someone had their thinking toque on straight and we got the maple leaf so well known today. Happy 40th! “Proud to be Canadian, pass me another beer!”
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Alfred Wallace added these pithy words on 15 Feb 05 at 10:22 pmI don’t think Canada ever flew the Union Jack; the flag until the maple leaf (which is surely a most unappealing shade of orange) was a modified Red Ensign; a red flag with the Union Jack in the upper hoist, and the seal of Canada in the middle. I have always puzzled over why Canada had a red flag while all the rest (e.g. Australia and New Zealand) are blue… any hints???
Younghusband added these pithy words on 16 Feb 05 at 1:15 amYou are talking about the Canadian Red Ensign which was the former de facto national flag until the Maple Leaf.
The Union Jack was the de jure national flag and flew on the Parliament Building from 1904. My grandmother used to tell me that they flew the Union flag when she was a kid. But even then the Red Ensign was still very popular.
As far as the British Ensigns are concerned, according to Wikipedia:
Prior to 1864, red, white and blue were the colours of the three squadrons of the Royal Navy… Each squadron flew one of the three ensigns. The red squadron tended to patrol the Caribbean and north Atlantic, the white the coasts of Britain, France and the Mediterranean, while the blue patrolled the south Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. The flags of the various former British colonies often have grounds of the same colour as their protective squadron. Hence Bermuda has a red ground and Australia and New Zealand blue. The flag of the United States also follows this pattern. Early flags of the American Revolution were modified Red Ensigns. The Grand Union flag, added six white stripes to the Red Ensign and this flag was used during the fight for independence until the Union Flag in the corner was replaced by the current stars in 1777.
Younghusband added these pithy words on 16 Feb 05 at 3:49 amSeems a bunch of countries have Flag Days, we were just late to the coming (we were 1995, the US one started in 1916). Canadian National Flag Day was brought in under the reign of Jean Chrétien who is not the most pro-American Canadian around.
Saru added these pithy words on 16 Feb 05 at 2:25 pm“Pass me another beer”?
You don’t even drink beer!
You should be ashamed of yourself.
What kind of Canadian are you anyway?;-)
Alfred Wallace added these pithy words on 16 Feb 05 at 2:36 pmThe explanation of the colors is fascinating, although apparently the Blue Squadron must have had the Caribbean, because the old flags of Jamaica, Grenada and Trinidad were blue…..
Younghusband added these pithy words on 17 Feb 05 at 4:30 amTo Saru.
I am not your typical Canadian. I don’t drink beer, hate hockey, and am missing the kneejerk anti-Americanism. But I am proud to be from the Great White North, eh, and like my brethren I can recite Dayglo Abortions lyrics to such famous classics as Proud to be Canadian and “I Want to be an East Indian.” Everyone who knows one of us knows how much we love our Canadian Celebrities.
Palmer added these pithy words on 17 Feb 05 at 6:22 pmWell Younghusband , I am your typical Canadian. I drink beer (less now that I’m a Dad…’cause thats the right thing to do), I love hockey, and the cold winters in Golden. However , anti-American no. Just sick of all that …stuff (for lack of a better word) shoved down my thoat. I do fly the flag off the front of my house. You should really come and see it sometime , just so you can remeber where you came from.
Younghusband added these pithy words on 18 Feb 05 at 10:46 amYes sir! Prime Minister Macdonald sir!
Palmer added these pithy words on 18 Feb 05 at 7:39 pmWell this is all very amusing but really we’re really not talking about is the big picture. No NHL hockey for the season of 04-05, and maybe even next year.What the hell am I going to do with all this spare time?
