Why Does Canada Have A Leaf For A Flag?
I once visited one of the men who decided on the flag, and he told us some of the background. When it was decided to design a new flag, there were many, many suggestions. However, the Royal Military College of Canada flag was a great influence, partly due to the high place of that institution, but I expect in part because several of the committee members when there! The “Canadian Pale” was borrowed from the RMC flag. That is, 3 vertical bars (known as pales), which are usually the same width – like the French flag, except that the middle pale is 1/2 the width, and the other 2 1/4 the width. This pattern has become known heradically as the “Canadian Pale,” and is now used in flags and coats of arms all over. The RMC flag has 3 maple leaves. The maple leaf has long been a symbol of Canada, dating back many, many years. Maple trees are pretty common in eastern areas of Canada, and especially in Ontario and Quebec, where the bulk of the population lives. The Canadian flag committee decided
