Why does adding a maple leaf make something Canadian?

[bcla]

In that photo they are flying the previous national flag, it was the "Canadian Red Ensign" Someone posted it above, it's a red flag, with the Union Jack in the top left corner, and the shield of the Coat of Arms of Canada on the right. It was replaced by the current flag in 1965.

My understanding is that it was never officially Canada's official national flag on a technicality.

 

[SkaGoat]

My understanding is that it was never officially Canada's official national flag on a technicality.

it was formalized as Canada's flag in 1945. Before that, officially the Union Jack was Canada's flag.

 

[bcla]

it was formalized as Canada's flag in 1945. Before that, officially the Union Jack was Canada's flag.

Again, my understanding is that it specifically wasn't considered to be an official national flag, but was used as such until such time that Canada would adopt an official national flag. I think this was the language:

http://www.dchp.ca/dchp2/entries/view/Canadian%2520Red%2520Ensign

until such time as action is taken by parliament for the formal adoption of a national flag, it is desirable to authorize the flying of the Canadian red ensign on federal buildings within as well as without Canada, and to remove any doubt as to the propriety of flying the Canadian Red Ensign wherever place or occasion make it desirable to fly a distinctive Canadian flag
​

Personally I think the maple leaf flag is possibly the easiest to recognize, other than the US flag which is a pain to try and draw. Tricolor flags might not be that distinctive because some countries just mix the order or have an additional symbol. But the maple leaf stands out.

And yesterday I couldn't quite figure out what I saw, but later realized was a red ensign. There was a cruise ship (the Ruby Princess registered in Bermuda) at San Francisco's cruise ship terminal. I saw a red flag with the Union Jack on the upper left from the stern.

 

[declansdad]

it was formalized as Canada's flag in 1945. Before that, officially the Union Jack was Canada's flag.

There was never an official flag under law until the current flag was adopted. The British Red Ensign was used by Canada since Confederation.

 

[declansdad]

And yesterday I couldn't quite figure out what I saw, but later realized was a red ensign. There was a cruise ship (the Ruby Princess registered in Bermuda) at San Francisco's cruise ship terminal. I saw a red flag with the Union Jack on the upper left from the stern.

That would be the flag of Bermuda. Another country with ties to the Commonwealth.

 

[bcla]

That would be the flag of Bermuda. Another country with ties to the Commonwealth.

View attachment 276082

It wasn't Bermuda's flag. It was a Union Jack on a solid red field. It looked like this:

 

[declansdad]

It wasn't Bermuda's flag. It was a Union Jack on a solid red field. It looked like this:

That is the Red Ensign. Bermuda uses it at for ships with Bermudian registry.

 

[kimblebee]

That is the Red Ensign. Bermuda uses it at for ships with Bermudian registry.

But, but, but..

What would you know about Canada and its flags. Google beats you every time

 

[soccerdad72]

I shouldn't be surprised, but what a weird thread.

Happy belated thanksgiving to all the Canadians

 

[RedAngie]

Of course! But we don't put sausage and corn bread in our stuffing because that would just be weird.

But the important question is: Do you bake the stuffing inside the turkey or in a separate oven dish?

 

[pigletto]

That would be the flag of Bermuda. Another country with ties to the Commonwealth.

View attachment 276082

Ok c'mon now.. what is that strange little monster thing with feet on the Bermudian flag?

 

[Frozen Canuck]

But the important question is: Do you bake the stuffing inside the turkey or in a separate oven dish?

My husband says that you can only call it stuffing if you put it IN the bird. Otherwise, it is dressing.

(And for what it is worth, I cook mine in a separate oven dish, so I guess I make dressing.)

 

[Frozen Canuck]

So does anybody else remember singing "O Canada" their entire lives/childhoods (depending upon your age) and then at some point in the early 80's people saying, "Hey! We should make this our official national anthem!"

(And then they did...so we had to then have a special school assembly so we could learn to sing our "new" national anthem and they handed out little cards with the words printed on them like we didn't all know the words already.)

 

[ronandannette]

But the important question is: Do you bake the stuffing inside the turkey or in a separate oven dish?

Yes, and by that I mean both. You cram as much as possible inside that sucker and put the rest in a baking dish or tinfoil packet. You need LOTS of stuffing - it's the best part of the left-overs! Oh, and don't forget to mix them together for serving so it's all uniformly moist.

 

[kimblebee]

So does anybody else remember singing "O Canada" their entire lives/childhoods (depending upon your age) and then at some point in the early 80's people saying, "Hey! We should make this our official national anthem!"

(And then they did...so we had to then have a special school assembly so we could learn to sing our "new" national anthem and they handed out little cards with the words printed on them like we didn't all know the words already.)

I remember having the anthem AND the Lords Prayer every morning.

 

[ronandannette]

I remember having the anthem AND the Lords Prayer every morning.

Yep, us too - in public school. And for good measure, every once in a while the Principal would lead everybody in a rousing chorus of "God Save the Queen" over the PA. She was a traditionalist and was appalled at how that song had fallen from public dominance.

 

[Frozen Canuck]

In Grade 1 (there was no Kindergarten way back then and my parents even had the option of sending me to the one-room school house for a year before it closed!) our teacher lead us in the Lord's Prayer and then, if you were the student-of-the-day, you got to choose if the class sang "God Save the Queen" or "O Canada" while she played the piano. We had a picture of the Queen hanging directly front and center in our classroom beneath the clock. I don't remember if we recited and sang patriotic songs daily after Grade 1 or not. That kind of thing was only done at school assemblies by the time I was teaching and I have no idea what is currently going on in schools.

All I know now is that whenever we are in church around the 4th of July and they start playing "My Country Tis of Thee" (also known as "America"), my husband and I turn towards one another and mouth "God Save the Queen."

 

[ronandannette]

All I know now is that whenever we are in church around the 4th of July and they start playing "My Country Tis of Thee" (also known as "America"), my husband and I turn towards one another and mouth "God Save the Queen."

Wow, I did not make that connection until this very minute...thanks for the startling realization!

 

[Frozen Canuck]

Wow, I did not make that connection until this very minute...thanks for the startling realization!

We didn't either until we heard the first opening notes and the words on the screen didn't match the words in our heads.

 

[CdnCarrie]

I remember singing the national anthem, God Save the Queen and saying the Lord's prayer every school day for entire public school career.