Quebec’s Fleurdelisé, adopted in 1948, is the oldest provincial flag in Canada. Its blue field and white fleurs-de-lis tell the story of French Canadian identity stretching back to New France.
Ontario adopted its Red Ensign-style flag in 1965 specifically to preserve the format Canada had just abandoned. Here is the story behind Canada’s most historically significant provincial flag.
The 1964 Great Flag Debate was the longest uninterrupted debate in Canadian parliamentary history. The switch from the Red Ensign to the Maple Leaf divided the country — and polling shows many Canadians still prefer the old flag.
The Canadian Red Ensign changed multiple times between 1868 and 1965 as new provinces joined and Canadian heraldry evolved. Here is every version, from the four-province original to the final 1957 red maple leaf design.
The Canadian Red Ensign served as Canada’s de facto national flag for nearly a century. From Confederation through two World Wars, this is the complete story of the flag that built a nation.
