This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website
A collection of Canadian Flag Proposal resources by Esteban Rivera
Last modified: 2018-09-03 by rob raeside
Keywords: canada |
Links: FOTW homepage |
search |
disclaimer and copyright |
write us |
mirrors
See also:
Below is a collection of resources prepared by FOTW member Esteban Rivera concerning the search for a Canadian flag in the 1960s.
Esteban Rivera, 23 August 2018
- "Awesome Canadian flags that got cut" (https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/10/16/canadian-flag-designs-photos_n_4109726.html).
It contains a brief explanation of the selection process, plus 142 images (https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/10/16/canadian-flag-designs-photos_n_4109726.html#gallery/548582/1)
of some of the proposals submitted (All images courtesy of the Library and
Archives of Canada and The Saskatchewan Council for Archives and Archivists
(official website:
https://www.scaa.sk.ca/home/).
- "Images of a Country, Canada's Flag Debate, English only" (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/).
A complete research which has the following articles (courtesy of The
Saskatchewan Council for Archives and Archivists) in which almost all
entries include multiple illustrations:
2.1 "This flag question" (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/flagquestion.htm)
2.2 "History moved faster than the Canadian Government" (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/history.htm)
2.3 "Pearson's Pennant" (
http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/pearson.htm)
2.4 "(Hoping
this will end the strife:) Designs" (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/design.htm)
(includes a
total of 28 individual pages with multiple illustrations
each)
2.4.1 (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/design2.htm)
2.4.2 (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/design3.htm)
2.4.3 (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/design4.htm)
2.4.4 (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/design5.htm)
2.4.5 (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/design6.htm)
2.4.6 (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/design7.htm)
2.4.7 (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/design8.htm)
2.4.8 (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/design9.htm)
2.4.9 (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/design10.htm)
2.4.10 (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/design11.htm)
2.4.11 (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/design12.htm)
2.4.12 (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/design13.htm)
2.4.13 (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/design14.htm)
2.4.14 (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/design15.htm)
2.4.15 (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/design16.htm)
2.4.16 (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/design17.htm)
2.4.17 (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/design18.htm)
2.4.18 (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/design19.htm)
2.4.19 (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/design20.htm)
2.4.20 (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/design21.htm)
2.4.21 (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/design22.htm)
2.4.22 (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/design23.htm)
2.4.23 (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/design24.htm)
2.4.24 (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/design25.htm)
2.4.25 (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/design26.htm)
2.4.26 (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/design27.htm)
2.4.27 (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/design28.htm)
2.4.28 (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/design29.htm)
2.5 "Allegiances (Not only dear but sacred)" (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/allegiances.htm)
2.6 "A Pox on both your Houses" (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/poxhouse.htm)
2.7 "Committee" (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/committee.htm)
2.8 "Our country's flag" (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/ourflag.htm)
2.9 "Acknowledgements" (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/ack.htm)
Curator: Cheryl Avery
Digitization and Coding: Joanne Abrahamson
Documentation and Illustrations: All material not cited -- Diefenbaker
Centre Archives
Special Collections, University of Saskatchewan Libraries
Saskatchewan Archives Board, Saskatoon
National Archives of Canada
Caricature Collections, Documentary Art and Photography Division
British
Museum Prints and Drawings Division
McGraw-Hill Ryerson Publishers,
Toronto
Special Thanks to: Greg Burke, Technician, Steven Billinton,
Patrick Hayes
Graphics: University of Saskatchewan Division of Media
and Technology
2.10 "Links" (http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/links.htm),
which contains the following:
2.10.1"The National Flag of Canada - A to Z
on the Canadian Flag" (
http://www.pch.gc.ca/progs/cpsc-ccsp/sc-cs/df1_e.cfm)
2.10.2
"Showing the Flag: A Canadian Photo Album - Collection of
Full-Colour
Photos" (
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/english/flag/)
2.10.3 "National
Archives of Canada – Two Illustrated Articles on the
Canadian Flag" (
http://www.archives.ca/04/04240301_e.html)
2.10.4.1 "CBC.ca -
Canada Day 2003 - from CBC Archives" (http://http://www.cbc.ca/canadaday/cbcca.html
)
2.10.4.2 "The Great Flag Debate" (
http://archives.cbc.ca/300c.asp?id=1-73-80)
2.10.4.3 "A Flag
For Canada" (
http://www.cbc.ca/documentaries/flagforcanada/)
2.10.5 "Flags
of Canada and Provinces" (
http://www.members.shaw.ca/kcic1/flags.html)
2.10.6
"Pearson-Speeches-Inauguration of the Flag, February 15, 1965"
(
http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/primeministers/h4-4028-e.html)
2.10.7
"Canadian Flag Activity Sheet - for High School Students" (
http://www.schdist42.bc.ca/Checks/ChecksFlagwksht.html)
2.11
"(Flag Debate:) Educational Resources" (
http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/edres.htm)
From
the above mentioned complete research, is the final stage of the selection
process as follows:
"On 8 September 1964, telling Pearson and Diefenbaker
they and their parties had acted "like two old bulls in a pasture butting
their heads together," Tommy Douglas, leader of the New Democratic Party,
hoping a solution could be found "before we do irreparable damage to
parliament and to confederation," called for an all-party committee to
review and report on the flag issue. This proposal was accepted and by 10
September, 15-member committee was formed.
The committee eventually
divided the designs into three main types:
one-leaf designs, three-leaf
designs and those containing the
fleur-de-lis and Union Jack in
some combination. The field was narrowed to one flag of each type.
On
29 October, after 45 meetings, several votes were taken: adoption of the Red
Ensign as the national flag was defeated 10 to 4; having a national
plebiscite on the flag issue was rejected; the committee was unanimous in
its determination to bring before Parliament its recommendation on a single
flag.
In another vote, both designs containing maple leaves were
retained: the Union Jack/fleur-de-lis design was rejected.
That left
the choice between "Pearson's pennant" and the maple leaf flag. Assuming the
Liberals on the committee would support Pearson's choice, the Conservative
members voted in favour of the single maple leaf. The initial outcome was 14
to 0 for the maple leaf flag, with one abstention. A second, confirming vote
was taken and the maple leaf flag passed, 10 to 4.
The debate had not
ended entirely: on 9 December 1964, Leon Balcer broke Conservative party
ranks to ask for closure. On 11 December, Conservatives brought in one more
motion asking for the adoption of the Red Ensign; it was defeated 162 to 80.
The final debate came on 14 December and at two o'clock on the morning of 15
December 1965, the bill adopting the new Canadian flag was passed.
Parliament adjourned with MPs singing "O Canada.""
Sources:
http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/committee.htm and
http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/flagdisplay/ourflag.htm
- "The Great Canadian Flag Debate" (http://www.cbc.ca/archives/categories/politics/language-culture/the-great-canadian-flag-debate/topic-the-great-canadian-flag-debate.html)
- "The Archivist" (https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/publications/002/015002-2023-e.html)
a synopsis of the whole process, which contains enhanced images. (This text
was written by James M. Whalen and first published in The Archivist,
Magazine of the National Archives of Canada, in 1990.)
- "A national flag imagined differently" (
http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/unusual/stories/Pages/national-flag.aspx)
an article which contains pictures of the three remaining proposals, as seen
here:
http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/unusual/stories/PublishingImages/flag1.jpg,
http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/unusual/stories/PublishingImages/flag2.jpg
and
http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/unusual/stories/PublishingImages/flag3.jpg.
5.1 "History of the National flag of Canada" (https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/flag-canada-history.html)
5.2 "Flickr set" featuring images of flag designs, submitted to replace the
British Ensign that Canada used until February 15, 1965."
(
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lac-bac/sets/72157628349334739)
5.3 "Conserving the Proclamation of the Canadian Flag" (
https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/publications/002/015002-2021-e.html)
which contains the proclamation document (
http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/ap/c/c135374.jpg) of the new
flag of Canada. (This text was written by John Grace and first published in
The Archivist , Magazine of the National Archives of Canada, in 1990.)
- Library and Archives Canada releases eighteenth podcast episode,
“Canada’s Flag: The Maple Leaf Forever” (
http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/news/Pages/2015/releases-eighteenth-podcast-episode.aspx)
and "Canada’s Flag: The Maple Leaf Forever” (
http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/news/podcasts/Pages/canada-flag.aspx
) an 18-episode podcast
- "W5 Visits LAC for Feature Story on the 50th Anniversary of the Canadian
Flag" (http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/news/photo-gallery/Pages/2015/50th-anniversary-canadian-flag.aspx)
"On the Road to 2017 with Library and Archives Canada - National Flag of
Canada Day: 50th Anniversary" (http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/news/videos/Pages/national-flag-canada-day.aspx
) (includes video: https://youtu.be/L0v-o1ZtLrw
).
- "The Flags of Canada", by © Alistair B. Fraser, 1998 (online adaptation
of book) which contains a detailed "Chronology of Canadian Flags" (
http://fraser.cc/FlagsCan/Appendicies/Chronology.html)
(1010-1985).
- "Origin of Canada's flag" (
https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/flag-canada-origin.html)
- "Canada 150" (
https://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/apropos-about/canada150/drapeau-flag-eng.html)
(commemorative website)
- "Celebrating 50 years of Canada’s national flag!" (
https://thediscoverblog.com/2015/02/12/celebrating-50-years-of-canadas-national-flag/)
which contains the proclamation document (
https://thediscoverblog.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/c135374k.jpg)
of the new flag of Canada, in color.
- "Heritage Minutes: Flags" (
https://www.historicacanada.ca/content/heritage-minutes/flags)
"MP John Matheson, a member of the parliamentary committee to choose a
national flag, surveys the many designs proposed for consideration (1965)."
(includes video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikY7bMDVQTg). A very interesting
reply to this article is seen by Robert J. Harper, on August 21, 2016:
"Although most of the information here is correct, there are several
inaccurate pieces. John Ross Matheson did not chair the Flag committee, he
was a member of the committee and was the person most responsible for
bringing our Canadian Maple Leaf Flag to fruition. The second piece is Dr.
George Stanley made a suggestion to John Ross Matheson which is a recycled
concept from a memo written on February 8th 1919 by Major-General (later
Sir) Eugene Fiset who suggested the emblem of Canada be ” a single red maple
leaf on a white field with red bordures (armorial bearing) The actual design
team was made up of George Bist (proportions) Jacques St. Cyr (creator of
the stylized maple leaf as we see it today)) Dr. Gunter Wyszecki (NRC team
who developed the Scientific Standard colour of red. John Ross Matheson,
Patrick Reid and Jacques St. Cyr overseen the final creation and design on
November 9th 1964."
The discussion on the flag change was dubbed
"Great Canadian Flag Debate" (or Great Flag Debate)
Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Canadian_Flag_Debate
Esteban Rivera, 23 August 2018