How the Canadian Flag has Changed |
 What we all used to call the "Union Jack", now sadly reduced to "Union Flag", was recognised as the flag of Canada from 1904 and thousands of Canadians fought bravely under it - a high proportion of whom died violently or suffered terrible injuries - during World War 1. Even earlier, from 1868, the Canadian Ensign, which was the British Red Ensign with Canada's coat of arms superimposed on it, was in common use on the merchant fleet and it's use gradually spread to use onland too; Canadian troops actually carried it during the epic battle of Vimy Ridge in 1917; and it's use was formalised in 1945 by the federal govenment headed by the Governor General, Alexander Cambridge the Earl of Athlone. The decision to drop the flags containing the Union Jack caused a great deal of argument and bitterness. After World War 2 the old British Empire began to break up and as Britain's influence in the world waned country after country severed or downgraded their ties to Britain. Canadians more and more began to demand their own flag and in 1958 a poll was arranged to discover what the majority felt on the matter; some 80% of those who responded to the poll wanted a change and the majority of them wanted the new flag to include the maple leaf. The problem was; millions of Canadians were proud decendants of British families, tens of thousands of ex-servicemen had fought for Britain in one of the world wars. On the other hand, many French Canadians felt no allegiance to Britain whatsoever! The debate was hard and literally thousands of possible designs were considered, and in December 1964 it was finally agreed that Canada would fly two flags, the Maple Leaf as the symbol of an independent Canada and a Union Jack to symbolise the nation's membership of the Commomwealth and it's ties to Britain and allegiance to the Crown. The Maple Leaf now flies over Canadian government buildings - but the flags of Manitoba, British Columbia and Ontario now include the Union Jack. Many Canadians cling stubbornly to the old flags; and it has been pointed out by more than one wag that by staring for a while at the top-left and top-right corners of the maple leaf it is possible to make out two people arguing; so perhaps the debate is not over yet! |