A
symbol of Canadian Identity
The official ceremony inaugurating the new
Canadian flag was held on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on February
15, 1965, with Governor General Georges Vanier, Prime Minister
Lester B. Pearson, the members of the Cabinet and thousands
of Canadians in attendance.
The Canadian Red Ensign, bearing the Union
Jack and the shield of the royal arms of Canada, was lowered
and then, on the stroke of noon, our new maple leaf flag was
raised. The crowd sang the national anthem O Canada followed
by the royal anthem God Save the Queen.
The following words, spoken on that momentous
day by the Honourable Maurice Bourget, Speaker of the Senate,
added further symbolic meaning to our flag: "The flag
is the symbol of the nation's unity, for it, beyond any doubt,
represents all the citizens of Canada without distinction
of race, language, belief or opinion."
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