The Canadian Flag
by
Irish Cruz and Annaliza Lospe
Grade 7
The Canadian flag.
The Canadian Flag was chosen by Parliament. The Canadian flag was created rather than chosen. The national flag of Canada was constituted on the 15th of February, 1965. On that day, throughout Canada, in Provincial legislative buildings and on Canadian ships throughout the world, the Canadian Red ensign was lowered with the great honour, and the Maple Leaf Flag was raised. It was raised on the Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
They had to vote about how the Canadian flag was going to look like. There were about 2600 different kinds of flags and out of all of them the Canadian flag was chosen.
Joseph Secours, a 26-year-old R.C.M.P. constable pulled smartly at the halyard of the flagpole beside the dais. Moments later, a sudden east wind gave the first breath of life to the Canada's new red Maple Leaf flag.
Previous Flags of Canada
 | 1497 - The St. George Cross, an English flag of the 15th century, was carried by John Cabot and flown over Canada when he reached the east coast in 1497. Thirty-seven years later, Jacques Cartier planted the fleur-de-lis on Canadian soil when he landed here and claimed the land for the King of France. The fleur-de-lis was flown until the early 1760's, when Canada was ceded to the United Kingdom. |
| 1759 - Although first flown over Canada in 1621, the Royal Union Flag replaced the fleur-de-lis after 1759. The Act of Union, the Cross-of St. Patrick was added to the flag that we now know more commonly as the Union Jack. |
| 1870 - The Red Ensign was created in 1707 as the flag of the British Merchant Marine. A way of the Red Ensign, with quartered arms of Canadian provinces gave rise to the Canadian Red Ensign, various forms of which were flown from approx. 1870 to 1965. The red and white maple leaf flag was replaced. |
The Maple Leaf on the Flag
The maple leaf only grows in British Columbia. The maple leaf turns to brilliant red and yellow colors in fall. Manitoba Maple trees grow in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Only the species whose leaves consists of the three to seven leaflets are maple leaves. The maple tree and leaf tell of the importance of our Canadian forests. The maple has been a Canadian symbol since the 1800's. The queen had proclaimed the red Maple Leaf flag in 1965.