> Yvonne, Don't rub it in. I got my Doctorate in 1965! The ol' f*rt, Bobby > > > Seems strange to think that, as familiar as the Maple leaf is as a symbol = > of this country, the flag was not officially adopted til 1965. I was 2 and = > a half years old! :-) > > Yvonne > > ***************************************************************************= > **************************************************** > "The maple leaf was historically used from the early days of Canada to = > symbolize the land and its people. It was first proposed as an emblem of = > Canada in 1834 when the Soci=E9t=E9 Saint-Jean-Baptiste was founded; = > shortly thereafter, in 1836, Le Canadien, a newspaper published in Lower = > Canada, referred to it as a suitable emblem for Canada.=20 > > "It was also used in the decorations for the visit of the Prince of Wales = > to Canada in 1860. It appears on the coats of arms granted to Quebec and = > Ontario in 1868 and as a distinctive emblem on the royal arms of Canada = > proclaimed in 1921. The maple leaf was for many years the symbol of the = > Canadian Armed Forces and was used to identify Canadian contingents in the = > two world wars. But it wasn't to receive official status until the = > National Flag of Canada was proclaimed by Her Majesty the Queen in 1965. " > > ***************************************************************************= > *************************************************** > > "Dr. Stanley's design is based on a strong sense of Canadian history. The = > combination of red, white and red first appeared in the General Service = > Medal issued by Queen Victoria. Red and white were subsequently proclaimed = > Canada's national colours by King George V in 1921. Three years earlier, = > Major General (later the Honourable) Sir Eugene Fiset had recommended that = > Canada's emblem be the single red maple leaf on a white field - the device = > worn by all Canadian Olympic athletes since 1904. =20 > > "The committee eventually decided to recommend the single-leaf design, = > which was approved by resolution of the House of Commons on December 15, = > 1964, followed by the Senate on December 17, 1964, and proclaimed by Her = > Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, to take effect on February = > 15, 1965. "=20 > > ***************************************************************************= > ****************************************************