Flag of Canada

Canada’s national flag is a red-and-white banner with a stylized red maple leaf centered between two vertical red bars.

Great Canadian Flag Debate: The 1963–1964 political debate over adopting a distinct national flag for Canada. This parliamentary dispute set the conditions for selecting the maple leaf design.
Maple leaf: The characteristic leaf of maple trees, widely used as a symbol of Canada. Its stylized form is the flag’s central and most recognizable emblem.
Canadian identity: The shared and contested sense of belonging associated with Canada and its people. The maple leaf became a widely recognized emblem of Canadian identity.
Flag etiquette: Conventions and protocols for displaying, handling, and honoring flags. These conventions guide respectful display of the Canadian flag.
Canadian flag debate: The 1964 parliamentary contest that selected a design for Canada’s new national flag. The final selection followed intense debate over competing designs and national symbols.
National flag: A flag representing a sovereign country and serving as one of its official symbols. The Canadian flag is a national emblem governed by public rules and practice.
Canadian nationalism: Political and cultural movements emphasizing Canada’s distinct national identity and sovereignty. Supporters framed a new flag as an expression of a more distinct Canadian nation.
National Flag of Canada Day: A Canadian observance held each February 15 to mark the national flag’s inauguration in 1965. The flag’s adoption is commemorated annually on this date.
George Stanley: A Canadian historian and soldier whose flag proposal inspired the design adopted in 1965. His proposal helped establish the red bars and central emblem as the winning composition.
Flag of the United Kingdom: The Union Flag, combining the crosses of Saint George, Saint Andrew, and Saint Patrick. Its removal from the national design marked a visual break with older Canadian flags.

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Flag ratioRelated: Its 1:2 proportion contrasts with flags whose proportions are square or unusually elongated.