The Story of Canada's Flag
There is little documentary evidence to show exactly what flags were used in Canada in the early days of the Ancien R6gime. We can only assume that Jacques Cartier carried either the blue or the red merchant flag during his several voyages to Canada during the sixteenth century. Cartier himself speaks only of the shield with three fleurs-delis on the cross erected at Gasp6. Samuel de Champlain may also have used the blue and white flag: although in his sketch of the Habitation, erected at Quebec in 1608, there is a flag on the roof of one of the buildings which has three fieurs-de-lis and streamers like those of the Estandart Frangois. The sketch is, however, too indistinct to provide positive evidence of the colours of the first flag flown at Quebec. To celebrate Frontenac's victory over Phips, a flag bearing the figure of the Blessed Virgin was hoisted in Quebec. Other contemporary sketches of the Ancien R6gime period, including views of Fort Beaus6jour in 1755 and Quebec in 1759, suggest that a white fleur-de-lis flag was not uncommon in Canada. From this we may conclude that the white flag with the golden fleur-delis may well have served as the official flag representing the authority of France in Canada; although it was not the official flag of the Bourbon kings.
According to the late Sir Arthur Doughty, federal archivist at Ottawa, it is doubtful if the Grand' Banni&re was ever used in Canada. The flags most familiar to Canadians must have been the merchant flags described previously, and the regimental flags carried by the troops sent to Canada from France. These latter invariably bore a white cross against a coloured background; black and red in the case of La Sarre; black, red, orange and green in the case of Royal Roussillon; light and dark red in the case of Guyenne; red and gold in the case of 136arn; green and gold in the case of the R6giment de Berry. In several instances there are golden fleurs-de-lis in the white cross.
A flag of special interest is the banner of Carillon. This flag, in the possession of Laval University, was allegedly carried by the troops who defended Fort Carillon (Ticonderoga) against the British assaults of 1758. This so-called drapeau de Carillon, celebrated in Octave Cr6mazie's poem, is a white or cream-coloured flag with golden fleurs-de-lis. On one side is to be found the arms of Governor Beauharnois and on the other a representation of the Holy Virgin holding the Infant Jesus in her left arm. The authenticity of this flag as a military flag is open to question. It was, in all probability a religious banner rather than a regimental flag.
| PREVIOUS Chapter | Back to Contents | NEXT Chapter |