Did you know...?
The maple leaf has been used as an emblem in Canada since the eighteenth century. It has often served to distinguish Canadians abroad, as was the case with Canada’s first Olympians in 1904.
Canadian Things
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Choses canadiennes
Choses qui sont canadiennes. Depuis le 22 mai, 2009. ;)
Soumettez une chose canadienne !
Did you know...?
The proper way to dispose of a faded/torn/old Canadian flag is to burn it in private.
Did you know...?
When the Canadian flag flies along with the flags of the 10 provinces and 3 territories, the flags of the provinces and territories follow in the order that they entered Confederation.
The Birth of the National Flag of Canada
At the time of Confederation, Canada’s national flag remained the Royal Union Flag or the Union Jack. However, Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada’s first Prime Minister, flew the Canadian Red Ensign as a distinctive flag of Canada. Following the Second World War, in 1945, an Order in Council authorized the flying of the Canadian Red Ensign from federal government buildings, in Canada and abroad.
In 1964, Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson made the creation of a new Canadian flag a priority. John Matheson, Member of Parliament, was Prime Minister Pearson’s key advisor and supporter in this objective. On June 15, 1964, the Prime Minister presented his proposed flag to the House of Commons, launching a divisive Canadian flag debate. After three months without resolution, the question of a national flag was referred to an all-party committee.
In October 1964, after eliminating thousands of proposals, the Special Committee on a Canadian Flag was left with three possible designs: one incorporating three red maple leaves with blue bars (nicknamed the “Pearson Pennant”), a flag with a single stylized red maple leaf on a whitesquare with red bars, and another version that contained both the Union Jack and three fleurs-de-lis.
On October 29, 1964, the committee recommended to the House of Commons that the single leaf, red and white design be adopted. Debate in Parliament continued, however, and it was only at the early hour of 2:15 a.m. on December 15, 1964, that the motion to adopt the National Flag of Canada was carried by a vote of 163 to 78. Approval by the Senate came on December 17, 1964, and on January 28, 1965, the National Flag of Canada was proclaimed by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, to take effect on February 15, 1965.
The inspiration for a red and white flag came from Dr. George Stanley, Dean of Arts at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario. Impressed by the Commandant’s flag at the College (a mailed fist holding three maple leaves on a red and white ground), Dr. Stanley suggested to Mr. John Matheson a similar design with a single red maple leaf at the centre. This red – white – red pattern bore a strong sense of Canadian history: the combination had been used as early as 1899 on the General Service Medal issued by Queen Victoria.
February 15th is National Flag of Canada Day
That’s in 10 days.
February 15 was declared National Flag of Canada Day in 1996. It marks the day in 1965 when our red and white maple leaf flag was first raised over Parliament Hill in Ottawa, and indeed, hundreds of communities across Canada. Red and white were designated as Canada’s official colours in 1921 by His Majesty George V. This is a perfect opportunity to celebrate our flag and what it stands for — a Dominion that is the envy of the world - and to share our pride in Canada and in being Canadian.
So, between now and then, we’re going to post little tidbits of information about the flag, be it history or just fun facts.
Team Canada Vancouver 2010
Davey Barr
Freestyle Skiing
Gateneau, Quebec
(photo by ViaMoi)
“Vancouver sunrise in fog”
Taken in La Jacques-Cartier, Quebec
Living in Canada
DEAR DIARY
Aug. 12 - Moved to our new home in Canada. I am so excited.
It's so beautiful here. The mountains are so majestic.
Can hardly wait to see them with snow covering them.
Oct. 14 - Canada. It is the most beautiful place on earth.
The leaves have turned all colours and shades of red and
orange. Went for a ride through the beautiful countryside
and saw some deer. They are so graceful. Certainly they are
the most wonderful animals on earth. This must be paradise.
I love it here.
Nov. 11 - Remembrance Day. Deer season starts soon.
I can't imagine anyone wanting to kill such a gorgeous
creature. Hope it snows soon. I love it here.
Dec. 2 - It snowed last night. Woke up to find everything
blanketed with white. It looks like a postcard. We went
outside and cleaned the snow off the steps and shoveled
the driveway. We had a snowball fight (I won). When the
snow plough came by we had to shovel the driveway
again. What a beautiful place. I love Canada.
Dec. 12 - More snow last night. The snow plough did his
trick again to the driveway. I love it here.
Dec. 19 - More snow last night. Couldn't get out of the
driveway to get to work. It's beautiful here but I'm
exhausted from shoveling. Fucking snow plough.
Dec. 22 - More of that white shit fell last night. I've got
blisters on my hands and a sore back from shoveling.
I think the snow plough hides around the corner until
I'm done shoveling the driveway. Asshole.
Dec. 25 - Merry Fucking Christmas! More frigging snow.
If I ever get my hands on the son-of-a-bitch who drives
the snow plough, I swear I'll kill the bastard. Don't know
why they don't use more salt on the roads to melt
the fucking ice.
Dec. 27 - More white shit last night. Been inside for three
days now except for shoveling out the driveway after that
snow plough goes through every time. Can't go anywhere,
the car's stuck in a mountain of white shit and it's so
frigging cold. The weatherman says to expect another
10 inches of the shit again tonight. Do you know how
many shovels full of snow 10 inches is?
Dec. 28 - That fucking weatherman was wrong. We got
34 inches of the shit this time. At this rate it won't melt
before summer. The snow plough got stuck up in the
road and that bastard came to my door and asked to
borrow my shovel. After I told him that I had already
broken six shovelsshoveling out all the shit he had
pushed into my driveway, I damn near broke my last
one over his fucking head.
Jan. 4 - Finally got out of the house today. Went to the
store to get food and on my way back a damned deer
ran in front of the car. Did about $3,000 damage to the
car. Those fucking beasts should be killed. The bastards
are everywhere. Wish the hunters had exterminated them
all last November.
May 3 - Took the car to the garage in town. Would you
believe the thing is rusted out from all that fucking salt
they put all over the roads.
May 10 - Moved to Florida. I can't imagine why anyone in
their right mind would ever want to live in such a God
forsaken place as Canada.<3333 snow and Canada
Eff the sunshine state, i hate heat. and sun. Blarrrgh.
