In Search of a Nation

Canada, that seemingly benign entity just north of the United States of America, struggled for nearly one hundred years to establish a national flag. This great adventure was more than just a search for a suitable nylon pennant. Rather, it was a search for a national identity. Throughout the pursuit of the flag that was finally hoisted in 1965, disparate sentiments and loyalties threatened to tear the young nation asunder. Nascent nationalism forged headlong into entrenched British imperialism, all the while, the festering French question relentlessly stoked this often vicious clash of political and emotional wills. That such innocuous symbols the likes of beavers, stripes and maple leaves, could stir such ire amongst so many, is telling of the ultimate significance of any national flag. To this day the memory of the political upheaval that was the establishment of the Canadian flag, can raise acrimony and rancor with those old enough to have experienced it firsthand.

However, the younger generation, and indeed, most of the older as well, have come to terms with this now forty-five year old symbol of Canadian unity. The French speaking Quebec still threatens to break apart and lower forever the maple leaf standard, but by and large, the Canadian national flag is respected and flown from sea to sea in a nation of proud, if not nationalistic, Canadians. Long before this gentle giant nation was uniquely Canadian, it was merely an assemblage of British colonies. The common British bond held the colonies together. The colonies were eventually united in the Confederation of 1867. As British dominions, they flew the Union Jack, also know as the Royal Union Flag. The Union Flag was of course the very same flag flown throughout the far flung British empire, but the Union Jack was also incorporated into many other flags. Significantly, the Union Jack was in the upper left corner of what came to be called the Canadian Red Ensign. The Red Ensign had been authorized by the British Admiralty in 1892.

The Royal Union Flag

These two flags, and the British loyalty they represented, presented the greatest challenge to those that desired a distinctly Canadian flag after the Confederation. Eventually the Red Ensign would come to be known as the "Canadian flag." Unfortunately, the Red Ensign was to be flown only at sea, and officially could not be raised on land. This precipitated a necessity to establish a proper national flag. Moreover, Canadian involvement in World War I had served to foment a unique sense of national identity quite apart from that of British servitude. By 1925, Prime Minister Mackenzie King, in response to a Department of National Defense request for a flag that could be flown ashore, moved forward into an attempt to settle the flag issue. It proved to be a minefield for the politically vulnerable King. The onslaught of political and popular opposition proved to be tremendous. Letters of protest to any change of flag poured in. Even Rudyard Kipling had maintained ongoing correspondence with the Canadian government, expressing grave concern with the flag issue. Eventually the loyalties to the Union Jack overwhelmed King, and he abandoned the search for a new flag.

The Red Ensign Flag

World War II brought the issue once again to the fore, and again, King led the cause. The necessity of a uniquely Canadian flag to lead troops in war seemed obvious to King. Humiliated before, he tread cautiously in search of a solution. After V.E. day, he established that the Red Ensign could and would be flown on government property, within and without Canada. He saw this as a temporary measure until a new flag could be established. Little did he know that the Red Ensign would serve as a surrogate national flag until 1965. Although King established a committee to "consider and report upon a suitable design for such a flag," the barrage of outrage directed against any attack on the Union Jack would once again derail any effort to bring Canada a new flag.

It would be many more years before a superior politician to King would take a more reasoned approach to the flag issue at a time when the nation was perhaps more willing to accept the notion of a new flag. Even so, in 1960, Prime Minister Lester Pearson found considerable opposition to his relentless drive to establish both a national flag and national unity. Thwarting his every step to do so was the formidable former prime minister, now leading the opposition Conservative Party, John Diefenbaker. Pearson had a thorough understanding of the entire flag problem. As well, he was a charismatic and greatly liked man. His distinguished military service under both the Royal Union and the Red Ensign would serve to strengthen his argument that, "The Union Jack should still be flown in Canada, not as our national flag but as a symbol of our membership in a Commonwealth of nations...of our loyalty to the Crown."

Pearson understood the histories of both flags and heraldry, and of what he did not know he sought to learn more. The primary questions he put forth to the Parliament and the people were, should Canada not have a flag that is unique and distinguished from any other, and if so, what would be proper and acceptable for such a flag to consist of? The Red Ensign, so similar to scores of British Commonwealth ensigns, hardly fit the first criteria. In search of the second, Pearson over the course of four years would present a detailed and impassioned argument for his desired flag. His argument would be based upon the historic rules of heraldry and the related Arms of Canada, proclaimed by the Crown in 1921. Moreover, he would seek likely and fitting Canadian symbols, as established by a unique Canadian history.

The Canadian Arms

World War I had initiated the Canadian government to obtain formal arms. Canada formally requested of the Crown to obtain arms and made specific request as to the desired nature of such arms. After ponderous correspondence with the College of Arms, and great debate as to the exact nature of the arms, a royal proclamation finally established official Canadian Arms in 1921. Significantly, the Canadian Arms established the Canadian national colors of red and white. Of equal significance, the Canadian Arms, emblazoned with three maple leaves, solidified the maple leaf as a symbol of Canada. Not that the maple leaf had been the only symbol Canadians had identified with. The beaver had been used from the time of New France, and by the Hudson Bay Company. As late as the 1960s flag debate, the beaver was the celebrated symbol for many, and it found its way to many of the preliminary flags concepts early that decade.

However, as early as 1921, the dismissal of the beaver from the Canadian Arms, however controversial, was justified by Thomas Mulvey, Canada's Under-Secretary of state. His defense of the omission read, "It was decided that as a member of the rat family, a Beaver was not appropriate... The Canadian Merchant Marine displayed a Beaver on their House-Flag and they have ever since been colloquially known as 'The Rat Line.'" As much as the beaver was out, the maple leaf was not entirely accepted either. It was often attacked by Diefenbaker (and others), but perhaps his attacks were misplaced. The maple leaf, indeed, had prominent Canadian symbolic bearings. The settlements of New France had adopted the maple leaf as an emblem. It became further popular with French Canadians (which would serve to undermine Pearson's attempts to pin the maple on the new flag). The maple leaf found its way to the French Canadian Patriote Flag of 1837. By 1848 the anglophone Maple Leaf, a Toronto literary annual, referred to the maple leaf as Canada's chosen emblem.

By the 1860s the maple leaf appeared on the arms of Quebec and Ontario alike. Its use on the official national Canadian Arms truly made it the most prominent Canadian symbol. It should be noted that the placement of the Canadian Arms on the Red Ensign is what made it unique from all the other British Red Ensigns. Pearson stood firm on his push to incorporate the maple leaf onto the new flag. His initial vision was of three leaves on a sprig, as could be found on the Canadian Arms. He later became more enamored with the notion of just a single, larger maple leaf, as the single leaf had more aesthetic positives. As the thousands of preliminary flag designs took shape (over 2000 in all), the rules of heraldry often were overlooked or ignored. Even Pearson strayed from the official national colors of red and white when he became emotionally attached to what came to be ridiculed as the "Pearson Pennant." His so called pennant was comprised of three red maple leaves on a white pale, between two vertical blue bars, representative of "sea to sea." This flag had been introduced to Pearson by Alan Beddoe, however, Pearson eventually came to accept the ideal national colors in the stead of the blue.

The Pearson Pennant

By 1964 the flag debate had become so heated between Diefenbaker and Pearson, it was seen as a zero sum game. Whoever lost would likely lose their political career. Although Diefenbaker kept up his almost maniacal tirade against the new flag, the mood of the nation had swung to the favor of Canadian nationalism, although the imperialist had certainly not vanquished. The strongest support for a new flag came from Canadian youth. However, the attacks against the new flag and those that would facilitate its inception continued to rain down. The old imperial attachment to anything British still resonated, particularly from those old enough to have considered themselves British loyalist. One of many similar letters written to Pearson reads: "Dear Sir: In my opinion you and your party are traitors to the people of Canada. I have only one word for your flag. HORRIBLE. Our country can thank god for John Diefenbaker."

However hard Diefenbaker tried to derail Pearson's flag, it became clear that the nation was accepting to a new flag, and furthermore, Pearson would have the necessary votes to push the flag through parliament. Diefenbaker stood firm to the end, initiating a Conservative filibuster, resulting in an extremely controversial move for the Liberals to end the debate in "closure." Diefenbaker had lost, and had isolated himself from many in his own party. Moreover, the often tawdry flag debate had cut fresh wounds in the French separatist issue. Many of the staunchest supporters of the Red Ensign had attempted to paint supporters of the new flag as "French lackeys." Considering the long history of schisms between French and Anglophone Canada, it logically followed to these extremist that the brothers in Quebec would take great pleasure in any attack on the Union Jack. The truth was, most of the French representatives had maintained great dignity throughout the debate. Some had even supported the Red Ensign, albeit one incorporated with the French Fleur-de-lis. Even though the issue truly could have split the nation, French Canada came out of the debate looking far more reasoned then the Diefenbaker radicals.

Finally the vote was taken and the new flag was to be a reality. By proclamation, the Maple Leaf Flag became the first truly Canadian flag on February 15, 1965. In short order, the new flag was raised nationwide. Before that day, the arcane etiquette of the Red Ensign and the lack of a true Canadian flag had resulted in a nation of people that rarely flew flags at all. It was not long after the flag became official that Canadians became true flag enthusiasts. Even so, there were many Canadians that had felt betrayed and to this day you can find the Royal Union and Red Ensign on a drive through the Canadian countryside. The old British loyalties had proven stout, but a new Canadian nationalism had haltingly blossomed, forever now to dominate the national conscious.

The Canadian National Flag from 1965

The Canadian Flag was surely appropriate in design. The maple leaf was truly a distinct Canadian symbol and the red, with white pale, were certainly the official national colors of Canada. That it took seventy-five years of bitter debate to get the thing hoisted over the parliament building reveals the larger conflict of nationalist sentiment. The old regal empire had spawned a fervent nationalism from Hong Kong to Vancouver. But in the end, the people of Canada had lived through wars, depressions, civil strife and scores of other challenges, that in their composite, became a unique "Canadian," experience. The many years of shared history and emotions had finally sown the seeds for a new and distinct Canadian nationalism. A new and distinct national flag would have to follow. For good or for bad, through the long search for a Canadian flag, a young nation found its identity.

Professional Life

1957 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate

• 1914-1918 Lieutenant, Canadian Army Medical
• Corps and Flying Officer, Royal Flying Corps
• 1923-1928 History lecturer, University of Toronto
• 1928-1948 Department of External Affairs
• 1945-1946 Canadian Ambassador to the United
• 1946 Under-Secretary of State for External Affairs
• 1951-1952 Chairman of the NATO Council
• 1952-1953 President of the United Nations General
• 1969-1972 Professor and Chancellor, Carleton
• Author

Died

• 27 December 1972, Ottawa, Ontario

Party

• 1958-1968 Party Leader

Research Sources