Posted on 02/15/2015 7:30:30 AM PST by matt1234
In accordance with a formal proclamation by Queen Elizabeth II of England, a new Canadian national flag is raised above Parliament Hill in Ottawa, the capital of Canada.
Beginning in 1610, Lower Canada, a new British colony, flew Great Britain's Union Jack, or Royal Union Flag. In 1763, as a result of the French and Indian Wars, France lost its sizable colonial possessions in Canada, and the Union Jack flew all across the wide territory of Canada. In 1867, the Dominion of Canada was established as a self-governing federation within the British Empire, and three years later a new flag, the Canadian Red Ensign, was adopted. The Red Ensign was a solid red flag with the Union Jack occupying the upper-left corner and a crest situated in the right portion of the flag.
The search for a new national flag that would better represent an independent Canada began in earnest in 1925 when a committee of the Privy Council began to investigate possible designs. Later, in 1946, a select parliamentary committee was appointed with a similar mandate and examined more than 2,600 submissions. Agreement on a new design was not reached, and it was not until the 1960s, with the centennial of Canadian self-rule approaching, that the Canadian Parliament intensified its efforts to choose a new flag.
In December 1964, Parliament voted to adopt a new design. Canada's national flag was to be red and white, the official colors of Canada as decided by King George V of Britain in 1921, with a stylized 11-point red maple leaf in its center. Queen Elizabeth II proclaimed February 15, 1965, as the day on which the new flag would be raised over Parliament Hill and adopted by all Canadians.
Today, Canada's red maple leaf flag is one of the most recognizable national flags in the world.
“Great country, people, food and drink including my favorite O’Keefe’s Extra Old Stout. A couple bottles of that and you can speak Canadian fairly well.”
Another “high-test” fan, I see. 8% beer will certainly rock the unprepared!
Oh, I’m well aware of Upper and lower Canada . My family has been in Ontario since 1818. I was born in Upper .
But “Beginning in 1610, Lower Canada, a new British colony “ is simply poor research . Maybe Newfoundland?
As for the Red Ensign . Old John A. and following governments encouraged it’s use but unfortunately it was never officially made Canada’s flag.
In 1610 Québec was still a French possession, so I’m guessing another error in the article. IIRC the only British possession at the time in what is now Canada was Newfoundland; the conquests of Acadia and Québec and the land grant to Prince Rupert were much later.
Snowyman’s point is that Lower Canada did not exist in 1610.
Yes. In 1610 New France , a new British colony, was flying the Union Jack as their flag. And this on history.com.
They likely think Champlain is a bubbly drink!
Thanks for posting the pre 1965 flag. I could not remember what it looked like and now that I’ve seen it - still don’t remember seeing it in the past. (that is not sarcasm)
It isn’t ugly or boring. It’s unique and rather elegant.
Both Ontario and Manitoba have retained the Canadian Red Ensign as their provincial flags by substituting the provincial coat of arms in the fly.
I like Ontario’s tribute to the old national flag of Canada.
The Maple Leaf is quintessentially Canadian and the single Maple Leaf has been worn by Canadian Olympic athletes since 1904.
The present flag is a combination of the the colors found in both English and French flags - both white and red appear in both national flags so its a tribute to Canada’s two founding peoples.
Its a bicolor flag that resembles the tricolor French flag - except there are two reds and one white rather than the blue white red in the French flag.
The Act Of Union Of 1840 unified Upper and Lower Canada as the single province of Canada.
Upper Canada was known as Canada West and Lower Canada was known as Canada East.
They were redivided into their present day parts as Ontario and Quebec at Confederation on July 1, 1867.
The names Lower and Upper Canada derive from their relative position along the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence River system. Lower Canada is downstream and, for the most part, is now Quebec. Upper Canada is upstream and is more or less now Ontario.
I prefer the old flag of Canada; my grandfather fought under that flag at Vimy Ridge where the sacred blood of Canada created Canada a nation there.
Nothing of equal gravitas was ever accomplished under that new red and white rag.
The only place in Canada, to my knowledge, that features milk in bags in Ontario.
The Canadian Red Ensign flies alongside the French flag and the present day Canadian flag at the memorial in France.
Have you ever tried poutine?
I love the old red ensign. I hoist it up our flagpole every July 1st and leave it there for the whole month. My neighbours love it. (They're mostly crusty senior Canadian citizens, too.) As for the "Maple Leaf Forever", when I was a young lad I attended Alexander Muir public school (Toronto) for a few of my early education years. Mr. Muir wrote the song, and we all learned it. I heard that later, when Trudeau was elected, the name of the school was changed to Gladstone Avenue school (it's location). I guess Pierre didn't like the second line of the song.
I am American. But my maternal grandmother was born in Ontario, and my dad is 3rd generation from immigrants from French Canada. He is buried in a catholic cemetery in Massachusetts, and about half the headstones have French names.
Truth be told, the French settled in Canada long before the British. They were after all, the first people to call themselves Canadians (Canadiens).
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