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Canada Dav, June 27,1997- 3 The Birth Of The Canadian FIag The search for a new Canadni n L, ý,trcdin ,mi o,çI t in 1925 whcn a committee oft he Privy Council began to research possible designs for a national flag. However, the work of the commit- tee was neyer completed. Later, in 1946, a select parlia- mentary committee was appointed with a similar mandate, called for submissions and received more than 2,600 designs. Stili, the Parliament of Canada was neyer called upon to formnally vote on a design. Early in 1964, Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson informed the Bouse of Commons that the gov- ernment wished to adopt a distinc- tive national flag. Thse 1967 centen- niai celebration of Confederation was, after aIl, approaching. As a result, a Senate and House of Commons Committee was formed and submissions werc called for once again. The exercise captured the imagination of the country. The committee held 46 sittings. It lis- tened to hours of testimony from heraldic experts, historians and ordinary citizens. It was flooded by more than 2,000 proposed designs. Tbousands of Canadians responded with flag designs of their own, using everything from beavers munching on birch trees 10 the northern lights shining over the Arctic Ocean to represent the coun- try. In October 1964, after elimi- nating various proposais, the com- mittee was left with three possible ACT IVE PLUS 1ý &PATIO GALLE] ground was quite attractive. 'Y'-t no~ ono~ igIe peuofli be crcditcd with the dcsign if' Canada's National Flag. Indeed, the design arose based on a strong sense of Canadian hiatory and a result of a collaborative effort involving several Canadians. The combînation of red, white and red first appeared in the General Service Medal issued by Queen Victoria. Red and white were suis- sequently proclaimed Canada's national colours by King George V in 1921. Three years earlier, Major General (later the Honourable) Sir Eugene Fiset had recommended that Canada's emblem be the single red maple leaf on a white field-the device worn by ail Canadian olympie athletes since 1904. A key element of the National Flag-the stylized maple leaf-was designed by Jacques St. Cyr while the proportions of the flag were outlined by George Bist, a World War Il veteran, and the precise colouration of the flag defined by Dr. Gunter Wyszechi. The final determination of ail aspects of the new tlag was made by a 15-memn- ber parliamentary committee, wbicb is offimcially credited witb tbe design. The committee eventually decided to, recommend tbe single- leaf design, which was approved by resolution of the House of Commons Dec. 15, 1964, followed by tbe Senate Dec. 17, 1964, and proclaimed by Ber Majesty Queen Elizabeth Il, Queen of Canada, to take effect Feb. 15, 1965. Il --m designs-a Red Ensign with thse fleur-de-lis and thse Union Jack, a design incorporating three red maple leaves, and a red flag with a single, stylized red maple leaf on a white square. Mr. Pearson himself preferred a design witb three red maple leaves between two blue bordera. Two heraldry experts, wbo both favoured a three-leaf design, played a decisive role in thse choice of our tlag: Alan Beddoe, a retired naval captain and beraldic adviser to the Royal Canadian Navy, and Colonel Fortescue Duguid, a heraldist and historian. The names of John Matbeson and Dr. George Stanley are well known in the story of evolution of a new Canadian flag. Matheson, an Ontario Member of Parliament, was perbaps one of the strongest supportera of a new flag and played a key advisory role. Dr. Stanley was Dean of Arts at the Royal Military College in Kingston, and brought to the attention of the com- mittee the fact that the Commandant's tlag at the college-a maple leaf on a red and white 26-Main Str. Milton, Ontario Phone: (905) 875-4077 "POL&eP 4 Dlue Sat LougoSpeia HihndSleep UtsFuLow Pces, 4 Delxe Set Longe pCial Chir0practic slep sts Stad From: Pads *'Extra Wîde 61b caacît Selet7mÏn RSg $89 50W l approved by 32 Thousand SeletionReg $8999 nw 4Chiropractic Union , We Carry a ful seecton ofe rei, aluminum, wrought iron f tables and chai, iberaa tables and chairs 'ounges, chaise,, lounges, cuahion and umrla uo pric e _ned or wel bes any dvertisd pricesby5' ERGEW 136 - Guelph Str. Unit #1 & 2, Georgetown, On. Phone: (905) 877-0882