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Symbols
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Contents |
The Maple Leaf
In 1834, the first St. Jean Baptiste Society in North America made the maple leaf its emblem.
In 1836, Le Canadien, a newspaper published in Lower Canada, referred to it as a suitable emblem for Canada.
In 1848, the Toronto literary annual The Maple Leaf referred to it as the chosen emblem of Canada. By 1860, the maple leaf was incorporated into the badge of the 100th Regiment (Royal Canadians) and was used extensively in decorations for the visit of the Prince of Wales that year.
1867 - Alexander Muir Writes The Maple Leaf Forever
In 1867, Alexander Muir wrote a Canadian patriotic song he called The Maple Leaf Forever as an entry in a Confederation poem contest in Montreal. He won second prize.
Muir tried to find a suitable piece of music, but had to write his own, which he published without copyright in 1868 In 1871 a copyrighted edition was published. The song grew popular in English Canada and became the regimental march of The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada and The Royal Westminster Regiment. But because of its British imperial perspective it was not popular with French Canadians.
Alexander Muir's The Maple Leaf Forever
- Article on Maple Cottage, Leslieville (Toronto) and "The Maple Leaf Forever"
- The Maple Leaf Forever MIDI File
- The Maple Leaf Forever Johnson, Edward, 1878-1959
Coats of Arms
The Crown appears on the Royal Arms of Canada (displayed in many courtrooms and government websites); the Flag of the Governor General of Canada; the Coat of Arms of many provinces as well as Nunavut; the badges of the Canadian Forces, many Regiments, and Police Forces; as well as some highway signs. Also, the Queen's image appears in Canadian government buildings, military installations and schools; and on Canadian stamps, $20 notes, and all coins.
1921 -King George V Proclaims Canada's Coat of Arms
Background
When the Dominion of Canada was formed in 1867 each of the four provinces was granted arms, but the Dominion itself was not. Instead the provincial arms were quartered for federal use, appearing first on the Great Seal of Canada. This shield implicitly became the arms identifying the Dominion of Canada.
The practical idea of a coat of arms is to easily and quickly identify the bearer. As new provinces and territories joined Confederation their arms were added, and the Dominion's arms soon became cluttered and unsuitable heraldically and practically. This is seen in the image of a postcard from 1904, when there were seven provinces; a year later there were nine.
An Official Coat of Arms
The Royal Coat of Arms of Canada (formally known as The Arms of Her Majesty in Right of Canada) was proclaimed by King George V on November 21, 1921, as the Arms or Ensigns Armorial of the Dominion of Canada. This official painted version, made by English heralds, had "fluttering" standards and the maple leaves were green. It was closely modelled after the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom.
The heraldic blazon of Canada's coat of arms, proclaimed in 1921 was:
- Tierced in fesse the first and second divisions containing the quarterly coat following, namely, 1st Gules three lions passant guardant in pale or, 2nd, Or a lion rampant within a double tressure flory-counter-flory gules, 3rd, Azure a harp or stringed argent, 4th, Azure, three fleurs-de-lis or, and the third division Argent three maple leaves conjoined on one stem proper. And upon a Royal helmet mantled argent doubled gules the Crest, that is to say, On a wreath of the colours argent and gules a lion passant guardant or imperially crowned proper and holding in the dexter paw a maple leaf gules. And for Supporters On the dexter a lion rampant or holding a lance argent, point or, flying therefrom to the dexter the Union Flag, and on the sinister A unicorn argent armed crined and unguled or, gorged with a coronet composed of crosses-patée and fleurs-de-lis a chain affixed thereto reflexed of the last, and holding a like lance flying therefrom to the sinister a banner azure charged with three fleurs-de-lis or; the whole ensigned with the Imperial Crown proper and below the shield upon a wreath composed of roses, thistles, shamrocks and lillies a scroll azure inscribed with the motto A mari usque ad mare.
1957 Version
In 1957 a new version painted by Commander Alan Beddoe was adopted. It showed red leaves, as Prime Minister Borden had intended, and the banners were redrawn.
The differences result from artistic licence, with two different artists' interpreting the official written description, or blazon. The leaves were described as "proper" so any colour could be used if it is proper for maple leaves in the wild, so green, red or gold could be used for spring, summer or autumn leaves.
Redrawing the mantling as if cut into maple leaves, rather than the traditional British slashed cloak was artistic licence, placing the Motto of the Order of Canada was an "heraldic additament". Such a change needed Royal approval, which was given in 1994 when a new official emblazon was painted by Cathy Bursey-Sabourin, Fraser Herald and Principal Artist at the Canadian Heraldic Authority, and introduced gradually so as to minimise the expense of the changeover.
The full achievement of the Canadian Coat of Arms has been used by the Canadian Government centered on a plain red flag on occasion such as in 1967 for the country's centennial celebrations.
Symbols
Shield
The shield is divided into five sections: The first quarter at the viewer's top left contains the three golden lions that have been a symbol of England since at least the reign of King Richard I. The second quarter bears the red lion rampant of Scotland in a double tressure border with fleurs-de-lis. The third quarter shows the Irish harp of Tara. Legend states that this golden harp with silver strings was used in royal banquets at Tara, a capital of ancient Ireland, and was later given to Henry VIII by the pope during his attempt to succeed to the Irish throne. The gold fleurs-de-lis of royal France, the first European emblem raised in Canada by Jacques Cartier during his landing at Gaspé, fill the fourth quarter. They also appeared on the arms of the British monarch until 1801.
The fifth element, a sprig of red maple leaves at the bottom is a distinctly Canadian symbol that became gradually identified with the country throughout the 19th century. Initially, the leaves were coloured green on the coat of arms because it was thought to represent youth, as opposed to the red colour of dying leaves in autumn. The leaves were later redrawn in 1957 with the current colour to be in line with the official colours of Canada. (They are blazoned "proper," so could be depicted as being any natural colour of maple leaf.)
Ribbon
The ribbon is marked desiderantes meliorem patriam, meaning "desiring a better country." It is the motto of the Order of Canada. This component was added, by the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister, to the arms used to represent the Queen in 1987, after a new Canadian "law of arms" was created, which included the rule that the motto of the Order of Canada would be included around the personal coat of arms of any Canadian who received an appointment to the Order, while the arms used by government ministers and departments remained without the ribbon. Since 1994 the arms used by government ministers and institutions now reflect the personal arms of the Queen.
Helm
The arms show a royal helmet, which is a barred helm of gold looking outward, straight towards the viewer, and draped in a mantle of white and red which are the official colours of Canada.
Crest and crown
The crest is based on the Royal Crest of England but differenced by the addition of a maple leaf, and appears on the Governor General's blue flag denoting that the Governor General is a representative of the Sovereign.
It consists of a crowned gold lion standing on a twisted wreath of red and white silk and holding a maple leaf in its right paw. Above the crest is St Edward's Crown, the style preferred by the Queen. (See the article on the royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom for a discussion of different styles of crown historically used in the Commonwealth.)
The 1921 design was a Tudor crown, and the style was modernized to its current form in 1957 by the Canadian government, although Her Majesty had indicated her preference in May 1952, shortly after ascending the throne in Feb 1952.
Supporters
Supporting the shield on either side are the English lion and Scottish unicorn, which are also the supporters of the UK coat of arms. The lion stands on the viewer's left and holds a gold-pointed silver lance flying the Union Flag. The unicorn has a gold horn, a gold mane, gold hooves, and around its neck a gold, chained coronet of crosses and fleurs-de-lis; it holds a lance flying the three gold fleurs-de-lis of royal France on a blue background. Unlike the British version, neither supporter is crowned.
Motto
The motto of Canada is a mari usque ad mare ("from sea to sea"), a part of Psalm 72:8. This phrase was first suggested by Samuel Leonard Tilley, a Father of Confederation. (See the list of state mottos.) The motto appears at the base of the arms. The motto was originally used in 1906 on the head of the mace of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan. It was included in the Arms of Canada in 1921.
In March 2006, the premiers of Canada's three territories called for the amendment of the motto to better reflect the vast geographic nature of Canada's territory – Canada has three coastlines on the Arctic, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans. Two suggestions for a new motto are A mari ad mare ad mare ("from sea to sea to sea") and A mari usque ad maria ("from the sea to the other seas"). The motto remains unchanged.
Mount
The mount in the compartment consists of Tudor Roses, thistles, shamrocks, and fleurs-de-lis, the floral emblems associated with England, Scotland, Ireland, and France respectively. The roses represented are the so called Tudor Roses, an heraldic combination of white and red roses that stands for English Royalty since the end of the Wars of the Roses.
The circlet of the Order of Canada was added around the shield in 1987.
Resources
The Flag
The use of the maple leaf as a Canadian symbol dates back to the early 18th century, and is depicted on its current and previous flags, the penny, and on the coat of arms.
1965 - Maple Leaf Flag Inaugurated in Parliament Hill Ceremony
At exactly 12:00 noon on February 15, 1965, RCMP constable Joseph Secours, age 26, lowered the Red Ensign and hoisted the new Maple Leaf Flag of Canada for the first time on Parliament Hill.
In his speech at the ceremony, Prime Minister Lester Pearson expressed his hope that, "under this flag may our youth find new inspiration for loyalty to Canada; for a patriotism based not on any mean or narrow nationalism, but on the deep and equal pride that all Canadians will feel for every part of this good land."
The Maple Leaf flag raised atop the Peace Tower that day was found in Belgium in 1965, stored in a box of memorabilia by the widow of former Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons Lucien Lamoureux. She delivered it to the Canadian Embassy in Brussels and it has been put on display in Parliament.
RESOURCES:
The day Canada unveiled its new national flag Feb. 15, 2006. 01:00 AM DON ROGERS
Feb. 15, 1965 marked a great milestone in Canada's history. On that day 41 years ago, the new national flag of Canada was raised for the first time on Parliament Hill and across the nation.
Half of today's Canadians weren't born then. Of the rest of us, how many can remember where we were on that historic date?
I certainly can remember where I was. I was there.
As a young student at the University of Toronto in the 1960s, I had felt a growing sense of nationalism. I thought Canada deserved, and needed, a distinctive national flag, one containing only Canadian symbols.
Over the years many designs had been proposed, but none took root. Prime Minister Lester Bowles Pearson changed that. He announced his intention to adopt a new national flag. He also proposed a design: blue vertical bars on each side, with a joined triplet of red maple leaves in the centre.
Pearson's proposal ignited a political firestorm.
Fierce opposition to a new flag was mounted by opposition leader John Diefenbaker, monarchists, and some — but not all — war veterans. It soon became clear that the flag proposal was in for a rough ride.
In Toronto, a small group spontaneously founded the Committee for a Maple Leaf Flag. Our membership was around 12 persons.
I soon found myself working with the "inner three," trying to mobilize support for the new flag. That threesome consisted of me, Alex Smith, and a young and unknown accountant by the name of Art Eggleton who would go on to be a mayor of Toronto, a federal cabinet minister, and a senator.
We wrote letters to parliamentarians. We obtained a six-foot prototype of the proposed flag and carefully positioned ourselves in the crowd at a Grey Cup parade.
Viewers from coast to coast who watched the parade on the CTV television network saw our flag in almost every shot.
Finally, Parliament adopted a revised red-and-white maple leaf flag as our new national flag. Royal assent was given, and the great day of the official inauguration, Feb. 15, approached.
I decided to skip university classes and be part of history. Alex, Art and I booked a single room at the Chateau Laurier hotel and headed for Ottawa.
We spent the previous night exploring Ottawa and Hull. Not long after crossing the Alexandria bridge into Quebec, the dreaded flashing red light of a police car appeared behind us. A burly Hull police officer, wearing a heavy overcoat and fur hat, approached our car and informed us that Alex had made an illegal left turn.
Our hearts sank as the officer pulled out his notebook. Then we played our ace. In broken French, we explained that we were visiting from Toronto to help celebrate the new Canadian flag.
A smile crept across the officer's face. "Very good. Bon, allez," he said, and waved us on.
The next morning, we arose early and headed to Parliament Hill to stake out a good place to view the ceremonies. The public buildings were flying the old Canadian red ensign, as they had done for years. But this day was to be different.
A decision had been made to construct a temporary platform and flagpole on the steps of Parliament for the official flag-raising. We positioned ourselves within 60 feet of the flagpole and held our place as the crowds swelled.
The moment arrived. Prime minister Pearson delivered an eloquent speech. The Canadian red ensign was lowered with dignity and respect.
For a few moments the flagpole was bare. Then the notes of "O Canada" rang forth, and, ever so slowly, our new national flag inched its way up the pole to the roar of a 21-gun salute.
Just as the limp flag reached the top of the pole, a gust of wind unfurled it for all to see. The crowd cheered. Alex, Art and I experienced a rush of excitement and pride. We had our maple leaf flag.
We looked around. Shadowy figures on the roofs of the West Block, the East Block, and the Langevin Building were simultaneously raising the new flag. And far above the assembled crowd, a huge new flag fluttered majestically atop the Peace Tower.
As we walked back to the Chateau Laurier, the new flag was suddenly everywhere — on office buildings, in store windows, on the old railway station, and on the Chateau Laurier. On our drive back to Toronto, we delighted in each sighting.
The next day, I returned to lectures at U of T. I had given up a day of classes to be in Ottawa, but I'd gained the indelible experience of being part of a small piece of Canadian history.Don Rogers is a retired five-term Kingston city councillor.
SOURCE: Toronto Star Feb. 15, 2006
Provincial Flags and Coats of Arms
Other National Symbols
Canada is known for its vast forests and mountain ranges, and the animals that reside within them, such as moose, caribou, beavers, polar bears, grizzly bears, Canada goose and the common loon. The beaver's emblematic status originated from the fact much of Canada's early economic history was tied to the fur trade. Other products made from the country's natural resources, such as maple syrup, are also strongly associated with Canadian identity.
Additional national symbols the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and anything pertaining to hockey, Canada's official winter sport, which is often used as a national symbol of unity and pride.
| Govt./Politics | Textbook | Summary | Name | Symbols | Governor General |
| Government Government of Canada | Ministries | RCMP | Military | Justice System | |
| This article includes information from Wikipedia, which is available
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