As an American I find the Canadian maple leaf beautiful & unique

The point of a flag is for it to be simple and recognisable, the Canadian flag is one of the best designed flags in the world in my opinion.

This is a truly iconic, beautiful, flag, but don't be bummed out about the old one being retired either. You can still wave it and be a proud Canadian.

The Maple Leaf has accompanied soldiers and civilians on peacekeeping, humanitarian, and peace-making operations around the world for over fifty years. Students and travellers - including myself - have sported it on our jackets, our hoodies, our backbacks, and other apparel when we go abroad. When I come home, whether by land or by air, and I see it flying, I am reminded that - despite all my own challenges with the country of my birth - that I am first and last and always a Canadian: with an identity still being forged by the lives and sacrifices and achievements of Aboriginals, Francophones, Anglophones, and countless others with yet a different heritage who have made this land theirs. We are not English; we are not French; we are not Europeans; we are not Americans - we are Canadians.

The only flag in the world that looks awesome on a hockey stick!

Canada's flag was raised over Parliament Hill in 1965, but not without controversy. Reg Sherren tells us the little-known story of how the flag came to be.

This is how you teach history. The nuance, the context and expanded points make for a story that sticks in the mind.

I love the current Canadian Flag. It shouts: CANADA!!! I am an American who descended from American colonial settlers (who arrived here up and down the colonies: 1650's - 1750's).

As a young boy living on my grandfather's farm in Nova Scotia, I remember the controversy over having a new Canadian flag. My grandfather was dead against it. And as a young boy I couldn't understand why at the time. The Ensign was the only flag I'd ever known and that was okay with me not realizing the reasons why. I mean what kid knew anything about politics in those days? Because of my grandfather, that's what influenced me into believing there was no reason to change our flag at the time. Now I'm old enough to understand why there was so much resistance. It was the resistance to CHANGE! It only takes time and in this case it was good. We needed our own flag and it distinguishes us as no other in the world. I feel blessed to be born Canadian and proud of our flag. It's our flag and distinctly Canadian eh!

We will never let the old Flag fall, for we love it the best of all! 🇧🇲

Thanks for being a good neighbor, Canada!

I want the Maple Leaf Forever to be our national anthem

It's funny to me that the original had thirteen points and the one they changed to has eleven. It was ahead of it's time haha

It's very recognizable.

I loved the Red Ensign but this was a better idea for Canada to have its own flag

I live in Canada and it's awesome

I was 17 when they raised the new flag at the Parliament building . I remember that when i first seen it up there i felt a strong feeling of Canadian pride . Good for Lester B Pearson for hanging in there ,because we needed our own beautiful flag .

Thanks for the beautiful flag. God bless Canada

I'm Gianfranco Capitoli living to Sulmona Italy born to Windsor Ontario Canada and proud of be a Canadian

This flag is very close to all Canadians hearts now and it is hard to think that back then we (or the Canadians) were fighting against it then. “Go Canada”

A lesson to be drawn from Stanley was that he persevere through difficulties and believes in what he is doing, he ultimately succeeded. While everyone has a right to their opinion about the previous Canadian flag, I’m so glad of the one we have now. To me it is a potent symbol that stands for equality, freedom and I’m damn proud of it.

Among the criteria that George Stanley wrote for the design of the new Canadian flag was this: "it should be clean cut and not cluttered." I wonder what he thought about the American flag -- 50 stars and 13 stripes. Tripartite layouts always look more graphically refined to many graphic designers and artists.

I spent Five years as a Royal Canadian Navy Sailor from 1957 thru 1962; (The Term of Enlistment was Five Years at the Time). My military expereince bouncing around the North Atlantic as Canada's Navy maintained a Monitoring Role on The Russian Fishing Factory Ships serving the dual use as a Relay Station for Transatlantic Radio Messages to and from the U.S.A. and Canada with the state of communications at the time. I am proud of My Service under the Canadian Ensign, as it was then. I am also proud to be a Canadian and recognize the Pride and Love of Country for all native born and legal immigration efforts to become a Canadian Citizen. Over the last couple or three generations of Using the single Red Maple Leaf design on a White Background with Two Broad Red Bands at each side it is become a permanent part of My English Language Culture. However when the design as described above was under discussion there was at least one of several versions which was not felt to be yet another effort by the then well recognized Bureaucracy Prime Minister Lester Bowles Pearson maintaining his preferred Liberal Party of Canada; the described as the N.G.P.P [ Natural Governing Political Party ] and P.M. Pearson refused to bring forward a Design which was quite similar as above except the Two Wide Bands of Red also shared a Blue Band on each side representing the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans of the Second Continent Wide North American Continent Country. I believe after couple or three generations of Using this other design will be loved as much as the Liberal Only White & Red colours.

So proud of our Canadian Flag! Imagine if Pearson hadn't been persistent in creating our own flag! We probably wouldn't have the maple leaf today! 🇨🇦

Nice to see the best prime minister Canada ever had who passed while in office may god rest his soul LESTER B. PEARSON

I almost wept watching this video. I love Canada.

I am old enough to remember the flag controversy, I was in Grade 5 at the time. I remember what was a famous Duncan McPherson cartoon about it: all the major players, Pearson, Diefenbaker etc were drawn as toddlers playing in a sandbox trying to put their version of the flag on top of a sand castle. Hysterical!!

Why is there no mention that there was a national open competition in 1964-65 to submit designs for a new flag ? 3,541 designs were submitted. We simply thought Stanley had won the competition fair and square. But perhaps his design was picked in advance as the ' winning ' design. At the time, a lot of Canadians didn't like Stanley's design, but soon almost all of us grew to love it, as we do today.

3:34 "Looks like a beer-label." Haha, I'll sooo use that next time I meet a Canadian. Hopefully he/she has a sense of humour.

How many people here know that Canada's colours are red and white because those colours represented Frenchman and Briton warriors during the crusades. Canada was born of Europe. www.pch.gc.ca/eng/1363628125362/1363628203744

Emotional story ❤️

I hope we never forget our roots, French and English. I am glad Canada has our own flag unlike other members of the Commonwealth. The Canadian flag just looks great. The Red Ensign was nice to.

Great story !!.. After a long trip oversea, see our flag.. Now we know we are home !!!..

As of October 2020, the waiting time for the Peace Tower flag exceeds 100 years.

I love our Canadian Flag and I'm 75!

really help me with my heritage fair project

I think the old flag was much better but you Canadians fly your flag high and proudly

I think all countries that used to be members of the British Empire go through the stage of wanting to get rid of the union Jack from their flag as they grow up. Australia went through that stage too, but did not get around to doing anything about it. With the state of the world today and recent developments towards globalisation over the last few decades many Australians are increasingly proud of their British origins and there is now not quite the same need felt by many people to change the flag to get rid of the Union Jack. Of course there are many who still want to change the flag and become a republic but these aspirations have been put aside for some time now. In fact If there was a referendum to change the flag I don’t think it would be approved. New Zealand recently made a brave attempt to change their flag and they had a competition to select the new design but all the designs were so bad they eventually decided to stay with the current flag with the union Jack on it. I think the Canadian flag design is really good but so far neither Australian nor New Zealand have come up with anything in the same league as it as a possible alternative design, so that might be another reason why we haven’t changed the flag yet.

This story put a smile on my face. :)

Most beautiful flag ever raised

I’m going to fly the old one. To me, it represents a time in history when Canada was ‘different.’

I think it's one of the most beautiful flags, very simple, distinct and symbolic of the nation.

got shivers as a canadian

Neat story!

That's so sweet!

Well done cbc

It's the best flag we don't need blue, the red & white with maple makes it unique and it's simple

One of the most beautiful and simplest flags ever.

Hmmm Very GoodM Thankyou! For the show!

Maybe as a Yank, I shouldn't be telling our neighbors upstairs what flags they should use, but Pearson had the right idea - the new flag is unique, easily recognizable, and affirms Canada as an independent country. There's many, many, *many* flags that follow the "British Ensign" format of a Union Jack canton and a seal on a blue/red flag. All of them are virtually indistinguishable from a distance, the Red Ensign included. They don't so much give the impression of proud, independent nations as they do continued colonial dependencies, because the only thing that most people are going to be able to recognize from the distance is the British Flag. The way I see it, the Red Ensign defines Canada in relation to the bygone Empire, while the leaf flag defines Canada simply as itself - which as what every good symbol (or flag) should be able to do.

Would not mind having a beer with the maple leaf label.

Awesome!

Thank you for sharing

It's a beautiful flag

So You can actually be on a list to receive the flag that is flying over the peace tower. Wow thats cool but 48 year wait could be gone by then.

as a Canadian i prefer the red ensign

Happy Canada Day!

I wonder if there are still people who are upset about the new flag.. I'm sure there must be some older people who remember the change and still hate it to this day..

I love our Canadian flag🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦

Great story

The Maple Leaf looked too real until George change 11 points

Omg I love black and white movies and I love this story behind the Canada flag

Canada Canada Canada wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Canada rule's

A FUCKING LEAF.

There was a contest in shubenacadie residential school who could design the flag. The contest was won by edward bowl Augustine’s

48 years for the waiting list to get one of the flags flown? I'm rather happy now that I got myself on that list about three-four years ago when they told me the waiting list was 23 years.

i'm by no means a staunch supporter of the monarchy, but purely esthetically speaking, i think the previous flag, crest on red background and union jack was a nicer flag. it envokes history of where we came from. the modern flag of the maple leaf is only a symbol of the national tree.

As a Canadian of only 27 years of age, I regard our Country's current flag as a 'Liberal Flag'. It doesn't swell any Canadian pride within me. Its predecessor is preferable.

Our flag is absolutely iconic and recognized world wide as a symbol of peace, inclusion and integrity. I have had the pleasure of traveling extensively and am always well received where ever I go. I wish more Canadians had the opportunity to travel to other areas of the world; they would then more easily recognize what a great nation we are, and how fortunate they are to be able to identify as Canadian.

As of April 25 2022 the waiting time for a flag exceeds 100 years.

Why didnt they hold a referandum on it like they did in NZ

The red ensign represented whom? Some Canadians or all Canadians? The red ensign represented British Canadians. The Maple Leaf is representative of all Canadians. The red ensign would not be recognized throughout the world. The red ensign would be confused with all the other flags which have the Union Jack positioned in the hoist. The Maple Leaf is recognized through out the world as the symbol of Canada!!

The Canadian flag ought to contain some blue and thus be red, white and blue like those of its sibling Anglo-Saxon countries, the UK, USA, Australia and NZ. Blue would also reflect the red, white and blue of its important French heritage and also the dark blue of the lovely blue and white flag of Quebec. There is still time to add blue to the Canadian flag, perhaps with a blue rimmed Maple leaf?

Beautiful flag.it symbolizes kindness and bravery.

I'm in my mid sixties and remember that well. Too young to comprehend all the machinations, but was delighted the day our flag came to be. Very very proud.

Interesting

The Canadian flag is very beautiful

What would Canadian businesses and local sports teams use in their logos if it weren't for the maple leaf?

Do they really put a brand new flag up every single day? Doesn't that seem kinda wasteful?

In my opinion the flag should be green and white according to the older coat of arms. Red and White is used so often in national flags.

They need a bigger Flag, just make it bigger! So People see it better!

the red ensine saved us

Winnibeg Falcons in Holland 1920 had the mabel Leaf on the shirt. It was red in the middel.same as the canadian flag

Pearson’s beach towel

It is the most beautiful flag in the world those who say its not are not true canadians and they should be ashamed of themsleves for disrespecting our men and women of our armed forces who gave so much in defense of the greatest country in the world

So because some foreigners didn't like our flag we changed it. Figures. Typically Canadian attitude. Why not erase all symbols of all our history because some group in the world will find offence to it.

I ❤ 🇨🇦

The new flag is certainly easily recognizable unlike the previous designs which had the union jack in it.

Does anyone know if the flag debate had a public referendum or were they just changed by lawmakers?

what does he mean the waiting list to get one is 48 years I'm pretty sure i can order one from amazon and it will be here tmrw

The new flag would go great with the old anthem 'Maple Leaf Forever'

that maple leaf also looks like a guy lifting his arms while in a robbery.

Lance Storm and Team Canada helped popularize the maple leaf flag with Americans.

I hope they don’t change it we will feel empty if they do

Un jour j'irai voir ça y paraît que c'quelques choses à voire j'ai fait application pour le drapeau de la tour de l'est ya plusieurs années j'ai une modite hâte de le recevoire je trouve que ça prend vraiment dû temps pour le recevoire

They changed the flag to what it is today the year before I joined the RCN in 1966.I attended many "colours'' and sunset ceremonies on various HMCShips always proud to salute the flag when it was raised and lowered especially when in harbour dipping [lowering and raising] our flag to merchant ships who saluted our ship by dipping their flag to us as they sailed past. When I was in the RCN I believe that there was a law that said the national flag was not to be flown after sunset but I think that that has gone by the wayside as I see it at night at our townhall. The one thing that I don't like is when people fly the flag and let it get tattered and not replace it. I was driving across our country [that nobody has to make great again because it already is the greatest country in the world] and I stopped at a truckstop and while gassing up noticed the Canadian flag was tattered and frayed. I stood in line to pay my bill and I asked for the manager and when he came I told him that some of our people paid the ultimate sacrifice for his right to fly our flag at first he didn't seem concerned but the people in the lineups were and they started shouting "He's right.. fix it" So the manager took it down and said that he would buy another one and replace it.I said please don't just throw the old out but to burn it . On my return trip, sure enough the flag was changed. My fathers people came from Ireland during the famine and I'm proud of my heritage but that little red maple leaf tells me that this is my home. Cheers

beautiful flag it’s a shame New Zealand failed to adopt a new one

2:03 is that creed from The office!?!?

Québec had his flag since since 1948. The fleurdelisé representing the nation of Québec. Since Canada doesn’t have any core identity , it took much longer time.

What an amazing story. It is a beautiful flag. I never knew the Canadian Flag had such a great history. As your neighbor to the South I think that your flag and your anthem are the best in the world. Old Glory is iconic and beautiful however. I don't think The Star Spangled Banner is better than O Canada.