Posted by Ian McKechnie on July 13, 2011, 9:58 pm, in reply to "Re: The flag on the Peace Tower, Canada Day"
Message modified by board administrator July 14, 2011, 10:02 pm
I don't believe that anyone is suggesting that the Canadian Flag ought to take a 'back seat' on our own soil. The Union Flag (commonly called the "Union Jack") is by far a better-known symbol of the United Kingdom than any one of the many British royal standards. Incorporating British heraldic traditions into Canadian contexts isn't incompatible with "celebrating our own, home-grown symbols," to use the language of some republicans.
The latter believe that the adoption of a uniquely Canadian Flag is symbolic of our scrapping the "colonial influence" once and for all. Ironically enough, the colours of "our own" flag date back to the Crusades, or so says the Department of Canadian Heritage. Many would argue that the Crusades represent a kind of medieval colonialism. Go figure.
"History records that in the first crusade, Bohemund I, a Norman lord, had red crosses cut from his mantles and distributed to the 10,000 crusaders, who then wore them as a distinctive badge on their garments. In subsequent crusades, each nation was distinguished by a cross of a different colour. France long had a red cross on its banners while England used a white cross. Time and again in history, red and white are found as the colours of France or of England. Red and white were approved as Canada's official colours in the proclamation of the royal arms of Canada in 1921 by King George V. In 1957, the colour of the maple leaves on the shield of the Royal Arms of Canada was changed from green on a white ground to red on a white ground in recognition of Canada's official colours."
http://www.pch.gc.ca/pgm/ceem-cced/symbl/df6-eng.cfm
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