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The National Flag of Canada, popularly known as the Maple Leaf Flag ( French: l'Unifolié "the one-leaved"), is a base red flag with a white square in its centre, featuring a red stylized 11-pointed maple leaf.
For much of its post- Confederation history, Canada had used the British Union Flag as its official national flag, with the Canadian Red Ensign as a popularly recognized specifically Canadian variant.
Although the idea of a new design for the national flag had been discussed for decades in the 20th century, it was in the 1960s that the debate intensified and became a subject of considerable controversy. The principal political proponent of the change was Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson, while the main opponent was leader of the opposition and former prime minister, John Diefenbaker, who made it his personal crusade not only for sentimental reasons but also for political advantage. Eventually, a multi-party parliamentary committee was established to select a new design. Through a period of study with some political manoeuvring the committee came up with the current design, which was created by George Stanley, inspired by the flag of The Royal Military College of Canada. The committee made its final selection on October 22October 22 is the 295th day of the year (296th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 70 days remaining. Events 362 The temple of Apollo at Daphne, outside of Antioch is destroyed in a mysterious fire. 1383 The 1383-1385 Crisis in Portugal: A peri, 1964Events January January 1 Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. January 3 Senator Barry Goldwater announces that he will seek the Republican nomination for President. January 5 In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Ort.
The new flag was adopted by the House of CommonsThe House of Commons (in French, la Chambre des communes is the directly elected lower house of the Parliament of Canada which sits in the nation's capital of Ottawa, Ontario. Leadership Prime Minister and Cabinet Under the Westminster system, the prime m on December 15December 15 is the 349th day of the year (350th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 16 days remaining. Events 687 St. Sergius I becomes Pope 1702 Forty-seven ronin, formerly in the service of Asano Naganori, assault the household of Kira Y, 1964Events January January 1 Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. January 3 Senator Barry Goldwater announces that he will seek the Republican nomination for President. January 5 In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Ort (the SenateThe Senate of Canada is the upper house of the Parliament of Canada. The senate has 105 members who are appointed by the Governor General on advice from the Prime Minister and serve until the age of 75. 24 from Ontario; 24 from Quebec; 24 are from the Mar added its approval two days later). It was officially proclaimed into law by Queen Elizabeth II on February 15February 15 is the 46th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. There are 319 days remaining (320 in leap years). Events 1637 Ferdinand III becomes Holy Roman Emperor. 1764 The American city of St. Louis is established. 1805 Harmony Society officially, 19651965 was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). Events January-February January 4 United States President Lyndon Johnson proclaims his " Great Society" during his State of the Union address. January 14 Prime Ministers of N. Since 1995, February 15 has been commemorated as National Flag of Canada Day .
Despite the preceding acrimony, the new flag was quickly embraced by the Canadian public, and internationally the flag quickly became a welcome marker of Canadians around the world.
The white centre is a device unique to Canada, blazoned a Canadian pale, being a pale 1/2 the width of the field rather than 1/3 (in heraldry, a pale is a vertical stripe). The flag is blazoned Gules, on a Canadian pale argent a maple leaf of the first.
In 1921, King George V proclaimed the official colours as red, from the Saint George's Cross, and white, from the French royal emblem since King Charles VII.
It is a popular misconception that the 11 points on the maple leaf have some significance; for example, the ten provinces plus the federal government. This is not so; the number of points have no significance, and the figure is simply a stylized representation of a natural maple leaf.
By a figure-ground reversal of the white square and the maple leaf, the two upper corners of the square can be seen as silhouettes of two angry faces arguing. This has often been considered evocative of the nature of Canadian federalism, but was wholly unintentional.
In Canadian Culture, various patriotic comic book Canadian superheroes use the Maple Leaf Flag as the basis for their costumes, much like how Captain America's costume is based on the Stars and Stripes flag. Hence, these characters' costumes are typically red and white with a red maple leaf as their symbol. Canadian superheroes who use this visual motif include: