Col. the Hon. George F.G. Stanley
C.C., C.D., K.St.J., D.Phil., F.R.S.C., F.R.Hist.S., &c.

The Story of Canada's Flag

Chapter 1: WHAT IS A FLAG?

A flag may be defined as a piece of bunting or other pliable material which serves as a means of identification or as a signal. It is usually oblong or square in shape, attached at one end to a staff or halyard.

Flags are flown by nations, provinces, states, towns, churches and schools. They are used by the armed services, by civilian organizations, even by individuals who possess a coat of arms of their own. In each case the flag identifies the organization or entity flying it. But a flag is more than a means of identification. It is the embodiment of what a country, province, church or regiment stands for: it is the symbol of the ethos or spirit of a people or community, its hopes, its aspirations, its will to live and its determination to play its role in history. A flag speaks for the people of a nation or community. It expresses their rejoicing when it is raised on holidays or special occasions. It expresses their sorrow when it flies at half-mast. It honours those who have given their services to the state when it is draped over their coffins. It silently calls all men and women to the service of the land in which they live. It inspires self-sacrifice, loyalty and devotion.

A flag is also a mark of status. It is an assertion of sovereignty as well as nationality, whether it flies over an embassy, from the masthead of a ship, or at an international sports meet. It is a rallying point in time of stress. It is a symbol of patriotism.

A flag is not a mark of aggressive nationalism. in the report of the joint committee appointed by the Senate and the House of Commons in 1946, the Hon. Paul Martin said:

Some say that it is an invitation to nationalisma regression to that selfish inversion that has brought this war and chaos to the world. We do not agree for a moment. It is not a consciousness of community and national bonds that is dangerous, but the perversion and exaggeration of that consciousness. There has been too little, not too much national pride in this country.

A flag should be of a design or pattern that can be easily recognized. It should be original, in the sense that it should not be a copy of any other flag, or likely to be mistaken for the flag of another state or body. It should be symbolic of the country or organization it represents and should, in the case of the nation-state, represent that state's sovereignty. Finally it should be adaptable for various purposes. Particularly is this true of na-

tional flags that are often adapted for special purposes by the army or navy.

The word flag, in English, seems to have come into general use between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. That is not to say there were no flags prior to this date. It means simply that in earlier times there was no generic or general word describing the different kinds of flags that were employed.

Among the several kinds of flags in use during the early centuries were the following:

(a) the Signum, which was the distinctive sign or device used by the division in the Roman army;

(b) the Vexillum, which was a square flag hung from a transverse support at the head of a staff. It was used as a Roman military flag and later as a religious processional banner.

(c) the Gonfalon, which was a banner ending in several tails or streamers. The word was derived from the Norse, Gunn-fane, or war flag. It was attached laterally to the staff.

(d) the Standard, which was, at first, a sign or token carried on a pole or staff but which eventually became a long tapering flag bearing the arms of a king or noble. Today we speak of the Royal Standard, which is the rectangular flag bearing the personal Arms of the Queen.





| PREVIOUS Chapter | Back to Contents | NEXT Chapter |