Flying High at Fifty

Pearson’s goal was to unite the population of Canada, as he knew that not all its citizens were being represented by the Red Ensign. This was especially true for the French-Canadians of Quebec. This last group still resented any attachment to Great Britain; many were still bitter about France’s defeat on the Plains of Abraham. To make matters worse, during World War I, Robert Borden had enforced conscription, which had forced French Canadians to fight alongside Britain, under British commanders. Quebec had had enough of being loyal to Britain and from the mid to late 1960’s there was already talk of separation. It is said that the Union Jack was one of the reasons behind Quebec wanting to separate. However, the people of Quebec were quite happy with their provincial flag, a white cross with four fleurs-de-lis, and as stated by Liberal politician Pierre Trudeau, they could not have cared less about the new national flag.