National Flag of Canada Day

National Flag of Canada Day (French: Jour du drapeau national du Canada), commonly shortened to Flag Day, is observed annually on February 15 to commemorate the inauguration of the flag of Canada on that date in 1965.[1] The day is marked by flying the flag, occasional public ceremonies, and educational programs in schools. It is not a public holiday, although there has been discussion about creating one.

National Flag of Canada Day
The national flag of Canada
Observed byCanada
DateFebruary 15
Next time15 February 2021 (2021-02-15)
Frequencyannual

History

Amid much controversy, the Maple Leaf flag replaced the Canadian Red Ensign, which had been, with various successive alterations, in conventional use as a Canadian national flag since 1868. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Lester Pearson, resolutions recommending the new flag were passed by the House of Commons on December 15, 1964, and by the Senate two days later.[2]

The flag, designed by George Stanley, was proclaimed by Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, on January 28, 1965,[3] and took effect "upon, from and after" February 15.[4]

National Flag of Canada Day was instituted in 1996 by an Order in Council from Governor General Roméo LeBlanc, on the initiative of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien.[5] At the first Flag Day ceremony in Hull, Quebec, Chrétien was confronted by demonstrators against proposed cuts to the unemployment insurance system, and while walking through the crowd grabbed by the neck and pushed aside a protester who had approached him. In 2010, on the flag's 45th anniversary, federal ceremonies were held to mark Flag Day at Ottawa, Winnipeg, St. John's, and at Whistler and Vancouver in conjunction with the XXI Olympic Winter Games.[6] In 2011, Prime Minister Stephen Harper observed Flag Day by presenting two citizens, whose work honoured the military, with Canadian flags which had flown over the Peace Tower. It was announced as inaugurating an annual recognition of patriotism.[7]

Status

It has been suggested that Flag Day should be declared a national statutory holiday, as there are no such days off between New Year's Day and Good Friday, except Family Day in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Saskatchewan; and Louis Riel Day in Manitoba.[8][9] That suggestion grew louder as the flag celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2005. On Flag Day in 2007, New Democratic Party Member of Parliament Peggy Nash introduced a private member's bill to make Flag Day a federal statutory holiday, leaving it to the provinces to decide if the holiday would be marked in their respective jurisdictions.[10]

Although National Flag of Canada Day is not a holiday, it is celebrated with many events around the country.

In Argyle, Manitoba, the local museum Settlers, Rails & Trails displays historic flags of Canada. This is a permanent display from the museum's famous Canadian flag collection, the second largest museum flag collection in Canada.[11] On display are Canadian historic, corporate, regional, sport and special events flags. As of February 2018, over 1,300 flags are in the museum's permanent collection.[12]

See also

Footnotes
  1. Department of Canadian Heritage. "Ceremonial and Canadian Symbols Promotion > The National Flag of Canada". Queen's Printer for Canada. Archived from the original on April 23, 2010. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
  2. Department of Canadian Heritage. "Ceremonial and Canadian Symbols Promotion > The National Flag of Canada > Birth of the Canadian flag". Queen's Printer for Canada. Archived from the original on February 24, 2010. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
  3. "Birth of the Canadian flag". Department of Canadian Heritage. Archived from the original on December 20, 2008. Retrieved December 16, 2008.
  4. Conserving the Proclamation of the Canadian Flag Archived October 21, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Library and Archives of Canada, from John Grace in The Archivist, National Archives, Ottawa, 1990. Retrieved February 15, 2011.
  5. Department of Canadian Heritage. "National Flag of Canada Day". Queen's Printer for Canada. Archived from the original on February 17, 2010. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
  6. Dept. of Canadian Heritage news release Archived July 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, February 15, 2010. Retrieved February 15, 2011.
  7. PM pays tribute to outstanding Canadians on Flag Day Archived July 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, Prime Minister's Office news release. Retrieved February 16, 2011.
  8. "Maple Leaf holiday idea run up the flag pole". National Post. Canada.com. February 3, 2005. Archived from the original on May 31, 2015. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
  9. Granger, Grant (February 15, 2011). "MP calls for a national Flag Day stat holiday in February". New Westminster News Leader. Archived from the original on February 13, 2015. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
  10. "Toronto MP calls for national paid holiday in February". CBC News. February 15, 2007. Archived from the original on February 13, 2015. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
  11. The Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec holds the largest museum of flags in Canada, Settlers, Rails & Trails Inc, of Argyle, Manitoba holds the 2nd largest museum flag collection.
  12. "Canadian Flag Collection" (PDF). Settlers, Rails & Trails. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
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