Twenty-Five Years of the Maple Leaf

by Paul Wheeler
Manager
The Map Room

Nearly a century after the year it
began, the great debate came to an
end. On Jan. 20, 1965, the maple
leaf emblazoned Canada’s first
national flag. It was inaugurated
on Feb: 15, 1965, at ceremonies in
Ottawa and throughout Canada, as
well as at Canadian posts abroad.

Until this time, the Union Jack
of Britain was the official flag of
Canada, but perhaps more popular
was the British Red Ensign with
the Canadian Coat of Arms in the
fly.

The colors of Canada’s flag —

White was the color given the
English Crusaders at the same
time. White was the color of the
field of St. George’s cross; it was
also the color of the banners borne
by Joan of Arc.

For a long time, white was the
color associated with the early
monarchs of France just as red was
the color of the early kings of
England.

The maple leaf has long been
emblematic of Canada. Research
undertaken by a former president
of the Royal Society of Canada led
him to conclude, “The maple leaf
was looked upon as a fit emblem
for Canadians as early as 1700, if
not before.’ -Maple leaves were

‘Symbolically, the colors represent
strength and purity. Historically,
fhey are part of the tradition of both
Canada’s mother countries’

red and white — have deep roots
in the country’s history. They were
declared and appointed officially
by King George V on Nov. 21,
1921, in a proclamation of Can-
ada’s Coat of Arms, recommended
to His Majesty by the Canadian
government.

Symbolically, the colors repre-
sent strength and purity. Histori-
cally, they are part of the tradition
of both Canada’s mother countries
— France and England. Red was
the color of St. George’s cross; il
was also the color borne by the
French crusaders in 1189.

used widely by Canadians for
decorating purposes in Toronto
and elsewhere when the prince of
Wales visited Canada in 1860.

Eight years later they appeared
on the Coat of Arms granted by
Queen Victoria to Ontario and
Quebec, and in 1921, a similar
sprig of maple leaves was used as
the distinctively Canadian symbol
in the Coat of Arms granted by
Queen Victoria to Ontario and
Quebec, and in distinctively Cana-
dian symbol in the Coat of Arms
mentioned above.

It mallers little that maple trees

do not grow in the Northwest
Terrilorics or on the Western Prair-
ics. What is significant is that
citizens from cvery corner of Can-
ada have long looked upon the
maple Icaf as their symbol.

Thcy have sccn it on the Coat of
Arms of Canada; they have worn it
on their uniforms; they have sung
its glorics.

Thus by combining the historic
colors of its mother lands with
Canada’s own national symbol,
the flag was born. It is the emblem
of Canadian pride, independence
and destiny.

TheReyiew Wednesday, February 21,1990 — A9

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