Our friends abroad have always asked us about the history of Canada’s national Flag, why are the Canadian flag red and white and a host of other questions. Well, we will finally answer all your questions (most of them) here about the National Flag of Canada! So, the Flag was adopted in 1965, replacing the Canadian Red Ensign as Canada’s National Flag. It has six horizontal bands of red and white with a red maple leaf near the hoist. The official colours of Canada are red and white, evident in the maple sugar industry, which the government officially recognizes.
1. Canada’s Flag was designed by George Stanley and was approved on December 15, 1964. In 1964, the Parliament of Canada passed legislation to adopt the new Flag.
2. The Queen’s Privy Council for Canada asked citizens to submit design proposals for a Canadian flag in holding a contest known as the Great Canadian Flag Debate of 1964–1965. The winner was announced on January 28, 1965. The maple leaf design proposed by George Stanley was chosen as the national emblem.
3. The red and white colour combination was first used in Canada in 1834-1837 during the Upper Canada Rebellion against British authority on Canadian soil, which is now Ontario and Quebec Provinces today.
4. The Canadian Red Ensign was made official in 1921 and was Canada’s national Flag until 1965.
5. Each province and territory has its own Flag and official colours. The Canadian national Flag, however, has no provincial or territorial designs.
6. The current size of the Canadian Flag is 27 inches by 15 inches (685 mm × 381 mm).
7. The westernmost point of Canada is marked by a projection of the red maple leaf, which points directly west to the Northwest Territories and the Nunavut beyond the border, clearly depicting that this point is in Canada along with the rest of the Canadian Flag design.
8. The Canadian Flag is two-sided, having images on both sides.
9. Canadians use maple leaves for various reasons. In the spring, some use it to make maple syrup. Others make necklaces with little beads in the middle and wear them like medals during pride rallies or sporting events. Some Canadians also use it as a sign of respect when they meet people wearing a maple leaf pin or if they see one on someone’s shirt, to which they would touch their hook or place their hand over their heart.
10. The red represents courage, bravery and strength, while the white represents peace and honesty spoken openly. The maple leaf depicts Canada’s natural beauty of its land, forests and clear rivers.
11. Canadian mountaineer Laurie Skreslet took it to Mount Everest (the tallest mountain in the world) for the first time, the highest point the Canadian Flag has ever reached.
12. In 1990, Canada celebrated the 200th anniversary of its independence from Great Britain on July 1.
13. The new Canadian Flag was raised along with the Union Jack for the first time on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, in 1965.
14. In 1970, the National Flag of Canada had its colour laws enshrined to ensure consistent use in the act of Parliament called “An Act respecting the National Flag of Canada”. The red colour is specified as “Canadian Red”, while the exact shade is left up to interpretation.
15. The Globe and Mail newspaper of Toronto reported that the search for a new national flag in 1964 attracted thousands of entries across Canada.
16. The Canadian Flag is usually referred to by three names – The Maple Leaf, the National Flag of Canada, and ‘l’Unifolié’ (in French).