Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011
THEN
On Dec. 15, 1964, the Canadian Parliament votes in the maple leaf as its national flag. During his 1963 federal election campaign, Lester Pearson promises Canadians a distinct national flag—an idea that started in 1925 and was never accomplished. For its first 100 years, Canada used the Canadian Red Ensign, a flag composed of the British Union Jack in one corner with a red background and the Canadian coat of arms. Pearson wins the election. The new prime minister opens the flag debate on June 15, 1964. Parliament tussles over the divisive topic for months, dragging through the summer recess until Pearson announces an all-party committee will come up with a new flag design. On Oct. 29 the committee makes its recommendation. For 14 days the House debates nothing but the flag. Arguments for and against are made and remade. Finally the issue comes to a vote on Dec. 15 and the result is overwhelmingly in favor of the current maple leaf design. Two months later, Feb. 15, 1965, the new flag is raised for the first time.
NOW
Even today the national flag remains a divisive issue. Two years ago when a town in the French province of Quebec, Saint-Denis-de-Brompton, voted in a mayor from French nationalist party Parti-Quebecois, the mayor removed the Canadian national flag from the town hall, leaving only the provincial flag, a blue banner with its four fleur-de-lis. After citizen outcry in the town of 3,200 forced the issue, last month city council voted to bring back the national flag. Mayor Claude Boucher told CTV Montreal “the only flag a municipality has to put in the province of Quebec is the Quebec flag. This is the law.” He said he does not regret his decision two years ago to take down the Canadian national flag.
