An Emblem's Role: The Flag or the Process Itself?

There were three attempts to explore and introduce an independent Canadian flag. Twice by Prime Minister MacKenzie King and once by Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson. In 1925, there was widespread opposition as it was seen as an attack on the Union Jack. In 1946, the subject garnered over 2600 designs, but was never brought forward for vote. In 1963, it was made an election promise by Lester B. Pearson, and after being elected, he informed the House of Commons that the government wished to make a distinctive national flag its own. This resulted in a call for design submissions by the Canadian people for the second time after there was a House of Commons and Senate committee formed to handle this issue. Pearson believed in the importance of having a “flag identified as Canada’s, a flag which [wouldn’t] be mistaken for the emblem of another country”. This meant that he strongly believed that the Union Jack and Fleurs-de-lis should not be included in the flag’s final design. With immigration rates so incredibly high at the time, it was clear to Pearson that many people in Canada did not come from British or French roots, and having either the Union Jack or Fleurs-de-lis represented on the flag would only serve to alienate much of the population. In vast contrast, former Prime Minister and opposition leader at the time, John Diefenbaker, fought strongly to have the Union Jack and Fleurs-de-lis shown on the flag as he wanted to honour the founding races and show the country’s heritage.