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.
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 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.