ST. JOHN’S, NL – On this day in 1965 the new Canadian Maple Leaf flag was raised over the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. As Canada was a colony of Great Britain the Dominion of Canada had, until this point, used versions of the British Union Jack.
In 1960, Lester B. Pearson, then Leader of the Opposition, declared that he was determined to solve what he called “the flag problem.” To Pearson, this issue was critical to defining Canada as a unified, independent country. As the newly elected Prime Minister in 1963, Pearson promised to resolve the question of a new national flag in time for Canada’s centennial celebrations in 1967.
Pearson began by proposing a concept for a new flag featuring a sprig of 3 red maple leaves, similar to those in the national coat of arms, on a white background bordered by 2 blue stripes. The heraldic expert and artist Alan Beddoe took Pearson’s concept and developed it into a design that became known as the “Pearson Pennant.”
Pearson recommended this design to members of Parliament in 1964, but his proposal was strongly opposed. Instead, a parliamentary committee was created and given a 6-week deadline to submit a recommendation for a national flag. Debate within the committee was fierce, divided between those who wished to retain the symbols that tied Canada to its colonial history, and those who wanted Canada to adopt its own symbols for the future. This period was known as the Great Flag Debate.
One of the more well-received concepts considered by the committee was proposed by George Stanley, Dean of Arts at the Royal Military College (RMC) in Kingston, Ontario. Inspired by RMC’s own flag, Stanley recommended a concept featuring a single, stylized red maple leaf on a white background with 2 red borders.
On October 22, 1964, the committee voted in favour of Stanley’s single-leaf concept. Two months later the House of Commons approved, followed shortly after by the Senate. The persuasive leadership of John Matheson, M.P., one of the flag committee’s pre-eminent members, is often credited with achieving consensus within the committee and helping to end the Great Flag Debate in Parliament.
The new maple leaf flag was made official by a proclamation from Queen Elizabeth II on January 28, 1965. On February 15 of that year, it was inaugurated in a public ceremony on Parliament Hill. Thousands of Canadians gathered as the Canadian Red Ensign was lowered and, at the stroke of noon, the new National Flag of Canada was hoisted. Prime Minister Pearson’s words on the occasion resound with hope and determination: “May the land over which this new flag flies remain united in freedom and justice … sensitive, tolerant and compassionate towards all.”
Everything you ever wanted to know about the history of the Canada flag can be found here