Canada’s Maple Leaf Flag Turns 50 Years Old

The Maple Leaf design on Canada’s flag has turned 50 years old. And to most Canadian’s the design has given them the identity they so long for as an independent nation.

Former prime minister Jean Chretien reminisced the first time the flag with its new design was waved. "Fifty years ago today it was cold. But if it was cold outside -- because it was very cold on Parliament Hill -- our hearts were very warm with pride as a new Canadian flag was raised for the first time," the Canadian Press quoted him saying to hundreds of people at the University of Toronto campus in Mississauga. "I was there ... when those who had voted for the flag got up to sing "O Canada" and unfortunately they were booed," he said.

Fifty year after that fateful day, Canadians say they are very proud to fly the national flag emblazoned with a red maple leaf, a Leger survey released to QMI Agency for National Flag of Canada Day, revealed. In fact, nearly eight in ten believe Canada is the best country in the world.

Clara Hughes, the Olympian speedskater and cyclist, recalled the first time a volunteer gave her the flag. In then dawned on her that she has been chosen to carry it into the opening ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. The stadium was silent. She was shocked cold with the honour. She held her breath, and then started to wave the flag back and forth.

"I didn't want to drop the flag or look like a fool wondering if I should hold it with two hands or one, or put it in the holster," she told CBC News of that day. "I remember feeling like the most beautiful maple leaf had fallen into my hands on an autumn day, bright red and so striking, and it was our flag.” The feeling was overwhelming. "I took the step into our home Olympics not as myself, not even as an athlete or an Olympian, but as Canada."

Jane Yealland, co-author of the children's book, ‘Our Flag: The Story of Canada's Maple Leaf,’ said that perhaps 50 years ago, at the time of Chretien, the new design wasn’t taken lightly and perhaps could have violated emotions of people then. But the flag has become part of the modern-day Canadians. Looking back, Yealland is grateful for the people who risked to push, and succeeded, to create a new design for Canada. "You look at other countries, like New Zealand and Australia, who are really struggling with this problem because they feel in part that their flag doesn't really identify them as a country."

That not every nation opts to choose a design of such symbol has in fact generated even much favour for Canada. "I think there's certainly something to be said about having a flag that is quite distinctive," Yealland said. "It's very much our flag."

The new flag, hoisted above Parliament Hill on Feb 15, 1965, of course almost tore apart Canada then. "It was very controversial at the time; very divisive in Parliament, very divisive across the land," Governor General David Johnston said. "Today, that controversy seems so far in the past.”

To report problems or to leave feedback about this article, e-mail: e.misa@ibtimes.com.au.