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Some
thirty boxes of flag designs and related correspondence are found in the
records of the Secretary of State at the National Archives. They consist
of many extremely interesting ideas for a Canadian flag. Moreover, the
letters explaining the significance of particular designs help to gauge
the mood of ordinary Canadians during the time of the flag debate. The
submissions range from crude drawings to truly artistic creations. Some
designs religiously follow heraldic principles; others range from the
ridiculous to the complex. On occasion, one is confused over how a
particular design represents Canada. For example, one design has the
pawnbrokers' symbols on it; another, a dollar sign; and a third, the
skull and crossbones. Furthermore, a few designs include patriotic
slogans that really have no place on flags.
The most common
designs appear to be those containing a single maple leaf, those
featuring three or more maple leaves, those with the Red Ensign and /or
the Union Jack and those containing the fleur-de-lys.
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The theme of several other designs suggests that Canada is still a vast
wilderness of lakes, forests and mountains inhabited by an abundance of
wildlife. This is reflected in designs featuring Canada geese, salmon,
beavers, bison, polar bears, grizzly bears, caribou and moose. Of these
creatures, the industrious beaver is everywhere busily gnawing away. In
one design, a beaver is wearing a mountie's hat; in another, a large
beaver, surrounded by ten smaller ones, is meant to represent Canada and
its provinces.
Because of
Canada's Christian heritage, a number of people wanted religious
symbols, such as the cross, in the flag design. Some went further
suggesting Jesus, St. Joseph, or the "Sacred Heart" be
included. One rather bizzare design, which came from "Jacy of
Chickadee Land," is described as: "Twelve praying, friendly,
helpful hands all connected to one big blue heart and from it fed truth
and love on a background of heavenly blue."
Celestial objects,
usually represented by northern lights or by stars, were also popular.
Designs with horizontal or perpendicular bars, as well as stars on them,
often resemble the American flag.
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Two more designs have native symbols on them. In the first one, an
Indian chief wears a head-dress with ten feathers on it, one for each of
the provinces. If necessary, more feathers may be added, but the
Saskatchewan designer cautions: "Let us hope that none will be
taken out, ever." The second, one of the few to include symbols of
both aboriginal groups, has a peace pipe on it to represent the Indians,
and an ookpik (an Arctic owl) to represent the Inuit and a maple leaf to
represent the rest of Canadians.
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The so-called "Society for the Suppression of Blue Lines" of
Toronto sent in a rather frivolous design showing "crossed red
hockey sticks rampant." Its purpose was to mock the vertical blue
bars adorning "Pearson's Pennant."
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It is obvious from all the controversy generated that Prime Minister
Pearson really started something by promoting a maple leaf design. It
got everyone into the act, including parliamentarians, the press,
organizations and the public at large. It was an issue that touched all
Canadians. But, after all the debate, we got what we wanted - a national
flag that is distinctively Canadian, and one we can call our own.
This text was
written by James M. Whalen and first published in The Archivist,
Magazine of the National Archives of Canada, in 1990.
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