The Leaf that United a Nation

The Francophones felt marginalized by the federal government, and Quebec separatism during this time was a major issue. Pearson believed that a new flag would bridge the gap between these various groups, unite the country as a whole, and refute the idea of Quebec separatism and American invasionism. However, his attempt to create a new flag ended up further dividing these two groups, reflecting the common sentiments of that time. Meanwhile, former Prime Minister and opposition leader Diefenbaker advocated keeping the old flag, which reflected the sentiments of Canada being a primarily Anglophone country with strong ties to Britain. Imperialists believed that replacing the traditional flag was an act of treason towards the Queen, and trampled the significance of British involvement in Canada’s growth underfoot. Pearson and Diefenbaker represented the two mainstream views in the country: the imperialists who wanted strong ties with Britain, and the nationalists who wanted Canada to be an independent country. Society of that time pitted members of each group against each other, and refused to make compromises that benefited both groups.