Great Flag Debate

1957 version of the Canadian Red Ensign that had evolved as the de facto national flag until 1965.

Flag of the Royal Military College of Canada

Earlier (1964) version of the proposal that was adopted.

In 1963, the minority Liberal government of Lester B. Pearson gained power, and decided to adopt an official Canadian flag, by act of Parliament. The idea of an official national flag had been discussed for decades in the 20th century, particularly during the Liberal governments of Mackenzie King; indeed, during the Second World War there was for a time an effort to create a national flag for Canadian troops to carry into battle, but in Pearson's words, "It was a ridiculous design by some heraldic expert in National Defence, with all sorts of symbols on it." But it was not until the 1960s that the debate intensified, and became a subject of considerable controversy culminating in the Great Flag Debate of 1964. The principal political proponent of the change was Prime Minister Lester Pearson, who had been a significant broker during the Suez Crisis of 1956 (for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize), when the Egyptian government objected to Canadian peacekeeping forces on the grounds that they carried the flag of the United Kingdom, a belligerent. According to Mike: The Memoirs of the Right Honourable Lester B. Pearson, Pearson's principal concern was for the Canadian flag to be distinctive, not in particular for its introduction to indicate a further break with the United Kingdom. The main opponent was the leader of the opposition and former prime minister, John Diefenbaker, who made it his personal crusade.

Notwithstanding Pearson's caveat as to his (and before him, Mackenzie King's) rationale in pushing for a new flag, the Red Ensign had been unpopular in Quebec, a Liberal base of support. The Red Ensign was especially strongly favoured by rural English Canada, the heart of Tory support. Diefenbaker demanded a referendum be held on the flag issue, but Pearson instead formed a multi-party parliamentary committee to select a new design. Through a period of study with some political manoeuvring, the committee chose the current design, which was created by George F.G. Stanley, inspired by the flag of the Royal Military College of Canada, in Kingston, Ontario. Mooted designs included prototypes with blue rather than red bars and with three maple leaves as on the national coat of arms. The ultimately favoured design with red bars and a single maple leaf was adopted unanimously by the committee on October 29, 1964. The new flag was adopted by the House of Commons on December 15, 1964. The Senate added its approval two days later.

Queen Elizabeth II proclaimed the new flag on January 28, 1965. It was inaugurated on February 15, 1965, at an official ceremony held on Parliament Hill in Ottawa in the presence of Governor General Major-General Georges P. Vanier, the prime minister, the members of the Cabinet, and Canadian parliamentarians. Since 1996, February 15 has been commemorated as National Flag of Canada Day.

Despite the preceding acrimony, the new flag was quickly embraced by the Canadian public, and internationally the flag quickly became a welcome and easily recognizable marker of Canada worldwide.

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