Canadian Holidays - National Flag of Canada Day

In 1996, Canadians received another holiday - National Flag Day Jean Chrétien, who was prime minister at the time, signed a decree declaring February 15 as Canadian Flag Day The date was chosen to commemorate the day the new flag design was first flown Today, the recognizable red and white flag with a maple leaf in the center is known far beyond the country’s borders and few people know what it looked like before The first settlers who began to populate Canada at the beginning of the 14th century were the British For this reason, the Canadian flag completely repeated the English version, but later, when the northern inhabitants of Canada became subjects of the French king, royal lilies began to be depicted on the flag Since the 20s of the 17th century England again takes the territory of Canada under its guardianship, which is why the flag design again returns to the British one Until the middle of the 19th century he remained that way In 1925, a national commission was created whose task was to develop a design for a national flag that would not evoke associations with other countries, but would be easy to remember However, the government began seriously to create a national flag much later In 1964, a commission was created again, which included 15 members of parliament, and by the end of the year, members of the commission submitted a prototype to a vote in the House of Commons The image of a maple leaf initially caused a storm of controversy, since it was a symbol of the eastern part of the country, in which the maples from which syrup was extracted grew Ultimately, the opponents gave in: first the law was adopted at the parliamentary level, and then it was signed by Elizabeth II On February 15, 1965, Canada's new official flag was officially raised for the first time, and then the whole world learned about it The colors red and white symbolize that Canada has two official languages: French and English In addition, they conventionally designate two oceans, the Atlantic and the Pacific, and between them lies the state itself, which is depicted on the flag in the shape of a maple leaf The style of the flag fully corresponds to the national motto “From sea to sea” Flag Day in Canada is celebrated every year, on this day the flag flies on the facades of municipal, commercial buildings and even private homes