The Diamond Anniversary of the Canadian Flag
Feb 11, 2025 12:00 PM
Member Gerry Pash
The Diamond Anniversary of the Canadian Flag

It took 98 years for Canada to have a national flag. In the early days of the Dominion, the Union Flag of Great Britain was not felt as representing Canada.  Canadians began looking upon the British civil and nautical red ensign as the flag of Canada.  As Canada did not have a distinctive Coat of Arms until 1921, a stylized coat of Arms with the arms of the provinces in each quarter was used to deface the ensign.  Prime Minister Sir John A. MacDonald made use of it and in 1874 he asked Britain to app;roved the use of the flag as an ensign for Canadian merchant ships.  While the request was rejected it was continued to be used at sea. Furthrmore, in the absence of formal authority MacDonald hoisted the Canadian red ensign over the parliament buildings.  A variety of renderings were displayed with an assortment of defacements in the fly.  The Canadian merchant marine ensign continued to fly from the tower of the Parliament Buildings until 1897 when it was removed in favour of the Union Flag. The move was questioned in the house of commons.  The Minister of Public Works replied, The flag hitherto flown on the parliament building is known as the Canadian Merchant Marine flag.  It is not the naitonal flag in any other sense.  The national flag, as we understand it for this purpose, is the Union Jack."  Thus the great flag debate began to be concluded on February 15, 1965 when the maple leaf flag was raised across Canada.