A History Of Our Canadian Flag July 1, 2008
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photo credit: Derek Purdy
Happy Canada Day all.
This is a reminder of the history of the Canadian Flag for those of you who may have forgotten. Like our neighbours south of the border, we should be proud of our heritage and our history. To our neighbours living south of our border, Happy 4th of July. Today is the day to toot your horn and celebrate by taking in the display of the local fireworks in your community this evening. I hope you all have a wonderful day.
photo credit: SqueakyMarmot
The St. Georgeʼs Cross, which is prominent in many provincial and territorial coats of arms, traces its history back to the legend of St. George, who became the patron saint of England in the late Middle Ages. The earliest recorded use of the St. Georgeʼs Cross in Canada is found in a watercolour painting by John White that depicts English explorers skirmishing with Inuit, almost certainly on Baffin Island during Martin Frobisherʼs expedition of 1577.
The fleur-de-lis was a symbol of French sovereignty in Canada from 1534, when Jacques Cartier landed and claimed the new world for France, until the early 1760s, when Canada was ceded to the United Kingdom. Although a number of French military flags were used in Canada during this period, including the white flag of la Marine royale after 1674, the fleur-de-lis held a position of some prominence.
In the early 1760s, the official British flag was the two-crossed jack or the Royal Union flag (known more commonly as the Union Jack). Although first flown in 1610, the Royal Union flag was used at all British establishments on the North American continent from Newfoundland to the Gulf of Mexico. This flag is often referred to as the flag of Canada’s United Empire Loyalists
Following the Act of Union between Great Britain and Ireland in 1801, the diagonal Cross of St. Patrick was incorporated with England’s St. George’s Cross and Scotland’s Cross of St. Andrew. This gave the Royal Union flag its present-day configuration. This flag was used across British North America and in Canada even after Confederation in 1867.
The Canadian Red Ensign, a red flag with the Royal Union flag in the upper corner, was created in 1707 as the flag of the British Merchant Marine. From approximately 1870 to 1904, it was used on land and sea as Canada’s flag, with the addition of a shield in the fly bearing the quartered arms of Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Although its use on land had never been sanctioned except by public usage, in 1892 the British admiralty approved the use of the Red Ensign for Canadian use at sea. This gave rise to the name the Canadian Red Ensign.
As new provinces entered Confederation, or when they received some mark of identification (sometimes taken from their seal), that mark was incorporated into the shield on the Canadian Red Ensign. By the turn of the century, the shield was made up of the coats of arms of the seven provinces then in Confederation.
In 1922, this unofficial version of the Canadian Red Ensign was changed by an Order in Council and the composite shield was replaced with the shield from the royal arms of Canada, more commonly known as the Canadian Coat of Arms. Twp years later, this new version was approved for use on Canadian government buildings abroad. A similar order in 1945 authorized its use on federal buildings within Canada until a new national flag was adopted.
The Canadian Red Ensign was replaced by the red and white maple leaf flag on February 15, 1965.
O Canada!
O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!
From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
My
Rainbow Bridge Please, Join Me Here.
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