On February 15, celebrate the anniversary of Canada’s modern flag by learning more about its history.
Over the past few years, the Canadian Museum of History has published blog posts and webpages about our flag, the Maple Leaf, and the flag Canada used before. They offer a wealth of information, and we encourage you to take a look and learn more about our flag’s history.
Before the Maple Leaf, There Was the Red Ensign
Do you know which unofficial national flag was used to represent Canada before the Maple Leaf? Learn more about the Red Ensign and why Canadians and their government decided to adopt an official flag.
You can see the Red Ensign here.
The Selection of a Flag
Would you like to see some of the 2,000 designs received by Lester B. Pearson’s government and the committee responsible for choosing a flag? If so, read this blog post written in 2015 for the 50th anniversary of the Maple Leaf.
If you are intrigued about the flag’s origins and the controversy surrounding its creation, find out more.
You can see other prototypes of proposed flags here.
Discover the key dates in the adoption of the Maple Leaf.
Our Country’s Origins
To learn about Canada’s origins as a country and why we adopted our own flag in 1965, visit the Teachers’ Zone, where you will find a special package, Stories of Confederation.
It’s Your Turn to Create Your Own Family Flag!
What makes your family unique? What are your family’s origins and values? It’s your turn to create a flag!
Choose the colours, symbols and characteristics that best represent your family. Then, on a blank piece of paper, draw a flag using markers or colouring pencils. Have fun comparing your flag with those created by other members of your family. This will give you an idea of how difficult it was for the flag committee to select a new flag for Canada in 1964.
Photo at top of page:
Canadian Museum of History, IMG2018-0032-0221-Dm