TheNational Flag of Canada (French:Drapeau national du Canada),[1] often referred to simply as theCanadian flag, consists of a red field with a white square at its centre in the ratio of 1∶2∶1, in which is featured one stylized, red, 11-pointedmaple leafcharged in the centre.[2] It is the firstflag to have been adopted by both houses ofParliament and officiallyproclaimed by theCanadian monarch asthe country's officialnational flag.[3] The flag has become the predominant and most recognizablenational symbol of Canada.
Before 1965, theCanadian Red Ensign had been in unofficial use since the 1860s and was later officially approved by a 1945Order in Council for use "wherever place or occasion may make it desirable to fly a distinctive Canadian flag".[5][6] Also, theRoyal Union Flag remains an official flag in Canada, to symbolize Canada's allegiance to the monarch and membership in theCommonwealth of Nations.[7] There is no law dictating how the national flag is to be treated, but there are conventions and protocols to guide how it is to be displayed and its place in the order of precedence of flags, which gives it primacy over the aforementioned and most other flags.
Many different flags created by Canadian officials, government bodies, and military forces contain the maple leaf motif in some fashion, either by having the Canadian flag charged in the canton or by including maple leaves in the design. The Canadian flag also appears on the government'swordmark.
Construction sheet for the national flag of Canada
The flag is horizontally symmetric, so the obverse and reverse sides appear identical. The width of the Maple Leaf flag is twice the height. The white field is aCanadian pale (a central band occupying half the width of a verticaltriband flag, rather than a third of the width, named for its use in this flag);[8] each bordering red field is exactly half its size[9] and it bears a stylized red maple leaf at its centre. In heraldic terminology, the flag'sblazon as outlined on the original royal proclamation is "gules on a Canadian paleargent a maple leaf of the first".[10][12]
The number of points on the leaf has no special significance;[22] the number and arrangement of the points were chosen after wind tunnel tests showed the current design to be the least blurry of the various designs when tested under high-wind conditions.[23]
The image of the maple leaf used on the flag was designed by Jacques Saint-Cyr;[24] Jack Cook claims that this stylized eleven-point maple leaf was lifted from a copyrighted design owned by a Canadian craft shop in Ottawa.[25] The colours 0/100/100/0 in theCMYK process, PMS 032 (flag red 100%), or PMS 485 (used for screens) in thePantone colour specifier can be used when reproducing the flag.[9] For theFederal Identity Program, the red tone of the standard flag has anRGB value of 255–0–0 (web hexadecimal #FF0000).[26] In 1984, the National Flag of Canada Manufacturing Standards Act was passed to unify the manufacturing standards for flags used in both indoor and outdoor conditions.[27]
The Flag of Canada is represented as theUnicodeemoji sequenceU+1F1E8🇨REGIONAL INDICATOR SYMBOL LETTER C,U+1F1E6🇦REGIONAL INDICATOR SYMBOL LETTER A.[28]
As thede facto British national flag, theUnion Flag (commonly known as the "Union Jack") was used similarly in Canada from the time of British settlement inNova Scotia after 1621.[34][35] Its use continued after Canada's legislative independence from the United Kingdom in 1931 until the adoption of the current flag in 1965.[6][36] TheUnited Empire Loyalist flag, that is very similar to the Union Jack, was used by immigrants who remainedloyal to the British crown during the American Revolutionary War. In present-day Canada, the United Empire Loyalist flag continues to be used as symbol of pride and heritage for loyalist townships and organizations.[37]
Shortly afterCanadian Confederation in 1867, the need for distinctive Canadian flags emerged. The first Canadian flag was then used as theflag of the governor general of Canada, a Union Flag with a shield in the centre bearing the quartered arms of Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, surrounded by a wreath of maple leaves.[38] In 1870, theRed Ensign, with the addition of the Canadian composite shield in the fly, began to be used unofficially on land and sea[39] and was known as theCanadian Red Ensign. As new provinces joined the Confederation, their arms were added to the shield. In 1892, the British admiralty approved the use of the Red Ensign for Canadian use at sea.[39]
A Canadian postcard marking the coronation of KingGeorge V andQueen Mary in 1911, depicting aCanadian Red Ensign with a crowned composite shield of Canada in the fly, and theUnion Flag below it
The composite shield was replaced with thecoat of arms of Canada upon its grant in 1921, and in 1924, anOrder in Council approved its use for Canadian government buildings abroad.[6] In 1925, Prime MinisterWilliam Lyon Mackenzie King established a committee to design a flag to be used at home, but it was dissolved before the final report could be delivered. Despite the failure of the committee to solve the issue, public sentiment in the 1920s was in favour of fixing the flag problem for Canada.[40] New designs were proposed in 1927,[41] 1931,[42] and 1939.[43]
By theSecond World War, the Red Ensign was viewed as Canada'sde facto national flag. A joint committee of the Senate and House of Commons was appointed on November 8, 1945, to recommend a national flag to officially adopt. It received 2,409 designs from the public and was addressed by the director of the Historical Section of the Canadian Army,Archer Fortescue Duguid, who pointed out that red and white were Canada's official colours and there was already an emblem representing the country: three joined maple leaves seen on theescutcheon of the Canadian coat of arms.[39] By May 9 the following year, the committee reported back with a recommendation "that the national flag of Canada should be the Canadian red ensign with a maple leaf in autumn golden colours in a bordered background of white". TheLegislative Assembly of Quebec had urged the committee not to include any of what it deemed as "foreign symbols", including the Union Flag, and Mackenzie King, then still prime minister, declined to act on the report;[20][38][44] fearing it may lead to political instability. As a result, the Union Flag was kept as a national flag, and the order to fly the Canadian Red Ensign at government buildings was maintained.[45]
By the 1960s, the debate for an official Canadian flag intensified and became controversial, culminating in the Great Flag Debate of 1964.[46] In 1963, the minorityLiberal government ofLester B. Pearson gained power and decided to adopt an official Canadian flag through parliamentary debate. The principal political proponent of the change was Pearson. He had been a significant broker during theSuez Crisis of 1956, for which he was awarded theNobel Peace Prize.[47] During the crisis, Pearson was disturbed when the Egyptian government objected toCanadian peacekeeping forces because the Canadian flag (the Red Ensign) contained the same symbol (the Union Flag) also used as a flag by the United Kingdom, one of the belligerents.[47] Pearson's goal was to create a Canadian flag that was distinctive and unmistakably Canadian. The main opponent to changing the flag was theleader of the opposition and former prime minister,John Diefenbaker, who eventually made the subject a personal crusade.[48]
A flag design created byAlan Beddoe, and dubbed thePearson Pennant, being Prime MinisterLester B. Pearson's favoured design
In 1961, Leader of the Opposition Lester Pearson askedJohn Ross Matheson to begin researching what it would take for Canada to have a new flag. By April 1963, Pearson was prime minister in a minority government and risked losing power over the issue. He formed a 15-member multi-party parliamentary committee in 1963 to select a new design, despite opposition leader Diefenbaker's demands for a referendum on the issue.[49] On May 27, 1964, Pearson's cabinet introduced a motion to parliament for the adoption of his favourite design, presented to him by artist and heraldic advisorAlan Beddoe,[39] of a "sea to sea" (Canada's motto) flag with blue borders and three conjoined red maple leaves on a white field. This motion led to weeks of acrimonious debate in theHouse of Commons and the design came to be known as the "Pearson Pennant",[50] derided by the media and viewed as a "concession to Québec".[39]
Flag design created byGeorge Stanley and selected by the parliamentary committee
A new all-party committee was formed in September 1964, comprising seven Liberals, five Conservatives, oneNew Democrat, oneSocial Crediter, and oneCréditiste, withHerman Batten as chairman, while John Matheson acted as Pearson's right-hand man.[39] Among those who gave their opinions to the group was Duguid, expressing the same views as he had in 1945, insisting on a design using three maple leaves;Arthur R. M. Lower, stressing the need for a distinctly Canadian emblem;Marcel Trudel, arguing for symbols of Canada's founding nations, which did not include the maple leaf (a thought shared by Diefenbaker); andA. Y. Jackson, providing his own suggested designs.[39] A steering committee also considered about 2,000 suggestions from the public, in addition to 3,900 others that included, according toLibrary and Archives Canada, "those that had accumulated in the Department of the Secretary of State and those from a parliamentary flag committee of 1945–1946".[39] Through six weeks of study with political manoeuvring, the committee took a vote on the two finalists: the Pearson Pennant (Beddoe's design) and the current design. Believing the Liberal members would vote for the Prime Minister's preference, the Conservatives voted for the single leaf design. The Liberals, though, all voted for the single leaf design, as did the members from the other two parties, giving a unanimous 15 to 0 vote[39] for the option created byGeorge Stanley and inspired by the flag of theRoyal Military College of Canada (RMC) inKingston, Ontario.[51]
There, near the parade square, in March 1964, while viewing the college flag atop the Mackenzie Building, Stanley, then RMC's Dean of Arts, first suggested to Matheson, then Member of Parliament for Leeds, that the RMC flag should form the basis of the national flag. The suggestion was followed by Stanley's memorandum of March 23, 1964, on the history of Canada's emblems,[52] in which he warned that any new flag "must avoid the use of national or racial symbols that are of a divisive nature" and that it would be "clearly inadvisable" to create a flag that carried the Union Flag or a fleur-de-lis. According to Matheson, Pearson's "paramount and desperate objective" in introducing the new flag was keeping Quebec in Canada.[53] It was Stanley's idea that the new flag should be red and white and that it should feature the single maple leaf; his memorandum included the first sketch of what would become the flag of Canada. Stanley and Matheson collaborated on a design that was, after six months of debate and 308 speeches,[39] passed by a majority vote in the House of Commons on December 15, 1964. Just after this, at 2:00 am, Matheson wrote to Stanley: "Your proposed flag has just now been approved by the Commons 163 to 78. Congratulations. I believe it is an excellent flag that will serve Canada well."[54] TheSenate added its approval two days later.[20]
After the resolutions proposing a new national flag for Canada were passed by the two houses of parliament, a proclamation was drawn up for signature by theQueen of Canada. This was created in the form of anilluminated document onvellum, withcalligraphy by Yvonne Diceman andheraldic illustrations. The text was rendered in black ink, using aquill, while the heraldic elements were painted ingouache with gilt highlights. TheGreat Seal of Canada was embossed and secured by a silk ribbon.[55]
Royal proclamation of the national flag of Canada
This parchment was signed discreetly by the calligrapher but was made official by the signatures of QueenElizabeth II (given on January 28, 1965[20]),Prime MinisterLester Pearson, andAttorney GeneralGuy Favreau. In order to obtain these signatures, the document was flown to the United Kingdom (for the Queen'sroyal sign-manual) and to the Caribbean (for the signature of Favreau, who was on vacation). This transport to different climates, combined with the quality of the materials with which the proclamation was created and the subsequent storage and repair methods (including the use ofScotch Tape), contributed to the deterioration of the document: The gouache was flaking off, leaving gaps in the heraldic designs, most conspicuously on the red maple leaf of the flag design in the centre of the sheet, and the adhesive from the tape had left stains. A desire to have the proclamation as part of a display at theCanadian Museum of Civilization marking the flag's 25th anniversary led to its restoration in 1989. The proclamation is today stored in a temperature and humidity-controlled plexiglass case to prevent the vellum from changing dimensionally.[55]
The Canadian flag flying atop thePeace Tower. An official ceremony inaugurating the flag was held on Parliament Hill in 1965.
The new national flag was inaugurated on February 15, 1965, at an official ceremony held onParliament Hill in Ottawa, in the presence ofGovernor General Major-GeneralGeorges Vanier, the Prime Minister, other members of the Cabinet, and Canadian parliamentarians. The Red Ensign was lowered at the stroke of noon, and the new maple leaf flag was raised. The crowd sang "O Canada" followed by "God Save the Queen".[56] Of the flag, Vanier said "[it] will symbolize to each of us—and to the world—the unity of purpose and high resolve to which destiny beckons us".[57]Maurice Bourget, Speaker of the Senate, said: "The flag is the symbol of the nation's unity, for it, beyond any doubt, represents all the citizens of Canada without distinction of race, language, belief, or opinion."[56] Yet there was still opposition to the change, and Stanley's life was even threatened for having "assassinated the flag". Despite this, Stanley attended the flag-raising ceremony.[58]
At the time of the 50th anniversary of the flag in 2015, the government—held by theConservative Party—was criticized for the lack of an official ceremony dedicated to the date; accusations of partisanship were levelled.[57]Minister of Canadian HeritageShelly Glover denied the charges, and others, including Liberal Members of Parliament, pointed to community events taking place around the country.[57] Governor GeneralDavid Johnston did, though, preside at an official ceremony atConfederation Park inOttawa, integrated withWinterlude. He said, "[t]he National Flag of Canada is so embedded in our national life and so emblematic of our national purpose that we simply cannot imagine our country without it."[59] Queen Elizabeth II stated: "On this, the 50th anniversary of the National Flag of Canada, I am pleased to join with all Canadians in the celebration of this unique and cherished symbol of our country and identity."[60] A commemorative stamp and coin were issued byCanada Post and theRoyal Canadian Mint, respectively.[59]
A Canadian Red Ensign, Royal Union Flag, and the flag of Canada flown next to a cenotaph inCartwright, Manitoba
As a symbol of the nation's membership in theCommonwealth of Nations and allegiance tothe Crown, the Royal Union Flag is an official Canadian flag and is flown on certain occasions.[61] Regulations require federal installations to fly the Royal Union Flag beside the national flag when physically possible, using a second flagpole, on the following days:Commonwealth Day (the second Monday in March),Victoria Day (the same date as theCanadian sovereign's official birthday), and the anniversary of theStatute of Westminster (December 11). The Royal Union Flag can also be flown at theNational War Memorial or at other locations during ceremonies that honour Canadian involvement with forces of other Commonwealth nations during times of war. The national flag always precedes the Royal Union Flag, with the former occupying the place of honour.[61]
TheRoyal Standard of Canada (banner of arms) is an official flag introduced May 6, 2023, and first flown at Government House, Halifax, that day.[63]
The Red Ensign is occasionally still used, including official use at some ceremonies. It was flown at the commemorations of theBattle of Vimy Ridge in 2007.[64][65] This decision elicited criticism from those who believed it should not have been given equal status to the Canadian flag and received praise from people who believed that it was important to retain the ties to Canada's past.[64][65] The Royal Union Flag and Red Ensign are still flown in Canada by veterans' groups and others who continue to stress the importance of Canada's British heritage and the Commonwealth connection.[61]
InQuebec, theprovincial flag (a white cross on a field of blue with fourfleurs-de-lis) can be considered a national flag along with the Maple Leaf flag, as is theAcadian flag in the Acadian regions of theMaritime provinces.[24][66][67] Public display of Canadian flags is rare in Quebec, with most Quebecers preferring to fly theflag of Quebec instead.[68][69][70] Display of the flag is also contentious, with the Quebec provincial government ordering that the Quebec flag be given seniority over the Canadian one in the province,[71][72] and many Quebec government facilities, such as theQuebec City Hall, the headquarters of theSûreté du Québec andSAAQ, and theQuebec Parliament, refusing to fly the Canadian flag at all.[73][74][75]
No law dictates the proper use of the Canadian flag. Canadian Heritage has released rules for flying the National Flag of Canada alone and with other flags. The rules deal with the order of precedence in which the Canadian flag is placed, where the flag can be used, how it is used, and what people should do to honour the flag. The suggestions, titledNational Flag of Canada Etiquette, were published by Canadian Heritage online and last updated in 24 February 2022.[76]Canadian Forces also have a unique protocol for folding the Canadian flag for presentations, such as during a funeral ceremony; CF does not recommend this method for everyday use.[77]
The flag can be displayed on any day at buildings operated by the Government of Canada, airports, military bases, diplomatic offices, and citizens during any time of the day. When flying the flag, it should be flown using its pole and should not be inferior to other flags, save for, in descending order, theKing's standard, thegovernor general's standard, any of the personal standards of members of theCanadian Royal Family, or flags of thelieutenant governors.[78] The Canadian flag isflown at half-mast in Canada to indicate a period of mourning.
A sample of items from the Parliamentary Flag Program
Since the Canadian flag was adopted in 1965, the Canadian government has sponsored programs to promote it. Examples include the Canadian Parliamentary Flag Program of theDepartment of Canadian Heritage and the flag program run by theDepartment of Public Works. These programs increased the exposure of the flag and the concept that it was part of the national identity. To raise awareness of the new flag, the Parliamentary Flag Program was set up in December 1972 by the Cabinet and, beginning in 1973,[79] allowed members of the House of Commons to distribute flags and lapel pins in the shape of the Canadian flag to their constituents. Full-size flags that have been flown onPeace Tower and four other locations onParliament Hill are packaged by the Department of Public Works and offered to the public free of charge. As of March 2019, the program has a waiting list of over 100 years for both Peace Tower flags, which are 2.3 by 4.6 metres (7.5 by 15 ft) in size, and for flags from the other four locations (one on each side ofCentre Block and one each overEast andWest Blocks), which are 1.4 by 2.7 metres (4.5 by 9 ft).[80]
Since 1996, February 15 has been commemorated asNational Flag of Canada Day.[56] In 1996, Minister of Canadian HeritageSheila Copps instituted the One in a Million National Flag Challenge.[81] Canadian Heritage put the expenses at $15.5 million, with approximately a seventh of the cost offset by donations.[82]
^"Fleur-de-lys | The Canadian Encyclopedia".www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca.At the time of New France (1534 to the 1760s), two flags could be viewed as having national status. The first was the banner of France — a blue square flag bearing three gold fleurs-de-lys. It was flown above fortifications in the early years of the colony. For instance, it was flown above the lodgings of Pierre Du Gua de Monts at Île Sainte-Croix in 1604. There is some evidence that the banner also flew above Samuel de Champlain's habitation in 1608. ..... the completely white flag of the French Royal Navy was flown from ships, forts and sometimes at land-claiming ceremonies.
^"INQUINTE.CA | CANADA 150 Years of History ~ The story behind the flag".inquinte.ca.When Canada was settled as part of France and dubbed "New France," two flags gained national status. One was the Royal Banner of France. This featured a blue background with three gold fleurs-de-lis. A white flag of the French Royal Navy was also flown from ships and forts and sometimes flown at land-claiming ceremonies.
^W. Stewart Wallace (1948).The Encyclopedia of Canada, Vol. II, Toronto, University Associates of Canada. pp. 350–351.During the French régime in Canada, there does not appear to have been any French national flag in the modern sense of the term. The "Banner of France", composed of fleur-de-lys on a blue field, came nearest to being a national flag, since it was carried before the king when he marched to battle, and thus in some sense symbolized the kingdom of France. During the later period of French rule, it would seem that the emblem...was a flag showing the fleur-de-lys on a white ground.... as seen in Florida. There were, however, 68 flags authorized for various services by Louis XIV in 1661; and a number of these were doubtless used in New France
^McGinn, Dave (2011)."Why don't more Canadians fly the flag?".The Globe and Mail. Archived fromthe original on July 6, 2012. RetrievedJuly 6, 2012.Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams ordered Canadian flags taken down from provincial government buildings to protest against a deal with the federal government on sharing offshore royalties.
^"QUEBEC'S ATHLETES BLAME FLAG FOR OLYMPIC 'DISTRESS'".South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Florida. March 14, 1998. Archived fromthe original on July 17, 2023.Quebeckers have never particularly warmed to the Maple Leaf, which is not widely displayed in the province dominated by French-speakers.
^"Am I the only one ..."Our Heritage. Canada: University of Lethbridge. Archived fromthe original on July 17, 2023. RetrievedJuly 17, 2023.In some parts of quebec you can't fly a canadian flag,that's okay
^"Position of honour of the National Flag of Canada". August 15, 2017. Archived fromthe original on September 12, 2017.Quebec has decreed that on all buildings under its authority within the province of Quebec, whether it be those of government departments, boards, schools or others, as well as on city halls, the provincial flag of Quebec is given precedence over the National Flag of Canada and must occupy the place of honour.
^DePalma, Anthony (November 26, 1997)."Quebec Journal; To Some Canadians, the Maple Leaf Is a Red Flag".The New York Times. New York. Archived fromthe original on May 27, 2015.Jean-Paul L'Allier, has prohibited the Canadian Maple Leaf from officially flying in front of City Hall since 1990. It was a symbolic retaliation for the defeat, by the rest of Canada, of a constitutional amendment that would have recognized Quebec's special place within the Canadian confederation.
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