Chapter 5

Canadian Symbols

The Crown, the flag, the maple leaf, the anthems, the honours and the national holidays.

The Canadian Crown

The Crown has been a symbol of the state in Canada for 400 years.
Canada has been a constitutional monarchy in its own right since Confederation in 1867, during Queen Victoria’s reign.
The Crown is a symbol of government, including Parliament, the legislatures, the courts, police services and the Canadian Forces.

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A new Canadian flag was raised for the first time in 1965. Its red-white-red pattern comes from the flag of the Royal Military College in Kingston, founded in 1876.
Red and white had been the colours of France and England since the Middle Ages, and have been the national colours of Canada since 1921. The Union Jack is Canada’s official Royal Flag.
The Canadian Red Ensign served as the Canadian flag for about 100 years.
The maple leaf is Canada’s best-known symbol. It was adopted by French-Canadians in the 1700s and has appeared on Canadian uniforms and insignia since the 1850s.
The fleur-de-lys is said to have been adopted by the French king in the year 496 and became the symbol of French royalty. Quebec adopted its own flag, based on the Cross and the fleur-de-lys, in 1948.
After the First World War Canada adopted an official coat of arms and the national motto A Mari Usque Ad Mare, which is Latin for “from sea to sea”.
The beaver was adopted centuries ago as a symbol of the Hudson’s Bay Company and became an emblem of the St. Jean Baptiste Society in 1834. It appears on the five-cent coin.

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The Parliament Buildings were completed in the 1860s.
The Centre Block was destroyed by an accidental fire in 1916 and rebuilt in 1922. The Library is the only part of the original building remaining.
The Peace Tower was completed in 1927 in memory of the First World War. The Memorial Chamber within it holds the Books of Remembrance, which record the names of those who died serving Canada.

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English and French are the two official languages and are important symbols of identity. English speakers (Anglophones) and French speakers (Francophones) have lived together for more than 300 years.
You must have adequate knowledge of English or French to become a Canadian citizen. Adult applicants 55 years of age and over are exempted from this requirement.
Parliament passed the Official Languages Act in 1969. Its objectives are to establish equality between French and English in Parliament and the Government of Canada, to maintain and develop official language minority communities, and to promote equality of French and English in Canadian society.

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O Canada was proclaimed as the National Anthem in 1980. It was first sung in Québec City in 1880. French and English Canadians sing different words to it.
The Royal Anthem, “God Save the King (or Queen)”, can be played or sung on any occasion when Canadians wish to honour the Sovereign.

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After using British honours for many years, Canada started its own honours system with the Order of Canada in 1967, the centennial of Confederation.
The Victoria Cross (V.C.) is the highest honour available to Canadians. It is awarded for the most conspicuous bravery, a daring act of valour or self-sacrifice, or extreme devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy.
The Victoria Cross has been awarded to 96 Canadians since 1854.

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Hockey is Canada’s most popular spectator sport and is considered the national winter sport. Ice hockey was developed in Canada in the 1800s.
The National Hockey League plays for the Stanley Cup, donated by Lord Stanley, the Governor General, in 1892.
Lacrosse, first played by Aboriginal peoples, is the official summer sport. Canadian football is the second most popular sport, curling was introduced by Scottish pioneers, and soccer has the most registered players of any game in Canada.

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These are the national public holidays and other important dates listed in the guide.

Day	Date
New Year’s Day	January 1
Sir John A. Macdonald Day	January 11
Vimy Day	April 9
Victoria Day (Sovereign’s Birthday)	The Monday preceding May 25
Fête Nationale (Quebec)	June 24
Canada Day	July 1
Labour Day	The first Monday of September
Thanksgiving Day	The second Monday of October
Remembrance Day	November 11
Sir Wilfrid Laurier Day	November 20
Christmas Day	December 25
Boxing Day	December 26

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