It’s amazing how proud Canadians are of our beautiful flag, but we know so little about how it came to be.
A thread. 1/14
#CanadaDay2020
During the election campaign of 1963, Lester Pearson promised that if the Liberals won, Canada would have a new flag within two years. He championed a design that came to be known as the Pearson Pennant. 2/14
Pearson came to Winnipeg on May 16, 1964 to sell the idea of a new flag to the Royal Canadian Legion. He was met with a roar of disapproval from veterans who had fought and served under the Red Ensign flag. The video is amazing. 3/14
With a minority government and Diefenbaker led Conservative opposition to the Maple Leaf flag, arguing for the retention of the Canadian Red Ensign an all-party flag committee was set up to find a design. 4/14
A national public design competition was held.

3,541 entries were submitted: many contained common elements:
2,136 contained maple leaves
408 contained Union Jacks
389 contained beavers
359 contained Fleurs-de-lys
5/14
A national public design competition was held. 3,541 entries were submitted: many contained common elements:2,136 contained maple leaves408 contained Union Jacks389 contained beavers359 contained Fleurs-de-lys5/14
A national public design competition was held. 3,541 entries were submitted: many contained common elements:2,136 contained maple leaves408 contained Union Jacks389 contained beavers359 contained Fleurs-de-lys5/14
A national public design competition was held. 3,541 entries were submitted: many contained common elements:2,136 contained maple leaves408 contained Union Jacks389 contained beavers359 contained Fleurs-de-lys5/14
A national public design competition was held. 3,541 entries were submitted: many contained common elements:2,136 contained maple leaves408 contained Union Jacks389 contained beavers359 contained Fleurs-de-lys5/14
On a personal note. My dad, who was a young artist at the time won a toaster for his Canada flag design submission. I wish I had a copy of his design.
None of the public designs made it into the final selection. At the last moment a university professor from New Brunswick, George Stanley, wrote an articulate letter to the committee outlining his thoughts on the flag. 7/14
None of the public designs made it into the final selection. At the last moment a university professor from New Brunswick, George Stanley, wrote an articulate letter to the committee outlining his thoughts on the flag. 7/14
None of the public designs made it into the final selection. At the last moment a university professor from New Brunswick, George Stanley, wrote an articulate letter to the committee outlining his thoughts on the flag. 7/14
None of the public designs made it into the final selection. At the last moment a university professor from New Brunswick, George Stanley, wrote an articulate letter to the committee outlining his thoughts on the flag. 7/14
None of the public designs made it into the final selection. At the last moment a university professor from New Brunswick, George Stanley, wrote an articulate letter to the committee outlining his thoughts on the flag. 7/14
Stanley included a hand sketch of two options, one with the Prime Minister’s preferred three leaf design and one with the first image of the familiar scheme. 8/14
Stanley outlined in his letter why he preferred a single leaf design. 9/14
The Chair of the committee loved the idea and had artist Jacques St-Cyr, who was ironically a Quebec separatist, draw a clean version. he developed the iconic 11-point maple leaf. 10/14
The Progressive Conservatives tried to add a Fleurs-de-lys and Union Jack to the scheme but it was ultimately rejected. Pearson said, ‘it must avoid the use of national or racial symbols that are of a divisive nature’ 11/14
The committee’s final vote was between Pearson’s pennant and Stanley’s single leaf. Assuming the Liberals would vote for the Prime Minister’s design, the Conservatives backed Stanley. They were outmaneuvered by the Liberals who had come to prefer Stanley’s flag. 12/14
The committee’s final vote was between Pearson’s pennant and Stanley’s single leaf. Assuming the Liberals would vote for the Prime Minister’s design, the Conservatives backed Stanley. They were outmaneuvered by the Liberals who had come to prefer Stanley’s flag. 12/14
The committee’s final vote was between Pearson’s pennant and Stanley’s single leaf. Assuming the Liberals would vote for the Prime Minister’s design, the Conservatives backed Stanley. They were outmaneuvered by the Liberals who had come to prefer Stanley’s flag. 12/14
After a long debate filibustered by the Conservatives, the new flag was approved in the House of Commons at 2:15 on the morning of December 15, 1964. (163 to 78) A postcard was written from the committee to Stanley congratulating him. 13/14
The new Canadian flag was inaugurated on February 15, 1965, at an official ceremony held on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. 14/14
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