On February 15th, 1965, the national flag of Canada was raised for the first time on Parliament Hill. Every year since 1996, when Parliament declared the 15th National Flag of Canada Day, we celebrate this symbol of our nation. This year marks 59 years since the inauguration of the Maple Leaf flag and 80 years since the invasion of Normandy.

The Juno Beach Centre (JBC) flies the Canadian Flag on the beach where 14,000 Canadians landed on D-Day in June of 1944. The presence of Juno Beach Maple Leafs ensures that the legacy of these soldiers–as well as the nearly one million other Canadians who served during the Second World War–is always visible on Juno Beach.

Once a flag has been flown, it becomes available for purchase, allowing supporters of the Juno Beach Centre to own a piece of Canada’s commemorative efforts. 

The Centre would like to invite all, inside and outside of Canada, to participate in our Flag Sponsorship Program by purchasing a Canadian Flag that flew on Juno Beach ahead of the upcoming 80th anniversary of D-Day on June 6, 2024. These flags are not simply tokens of remembrance, but one of the most effective ways to honour the sacrifices of the Greatest Generation. By flying a Juno Beach Maple Leaf at commemorative ceremonies, memorials, and initiatives for D-Day 80 and beyond, you are bringing a piece of Juno Beach (and, by extension, Canada) to wherever you reside.

Every Juno Beach Maple Leaf purchased helps keep the memory of Canada’s Veterans alive while also critically supporting the programming and educational mission of the Juno Beach Centre. To date, the Juno Beach Centre has sent over 250 flags to civilians, servicemembers, Veterans, and organizations across Canada and abroad. 

The Canadian Flag as we know it today would not exist without the contributions of Canadian Second World War Veterans who were vital in its design and curation. This Flag Day, the Juno Beach Centre (JBC) highlights four Veterans who contributed to developing our contemporary flag.

The Case for a New Flag

Until the 1965 inauguration of the current flag, Canada used several flags, the most recognizable being the British Union Jack and the Canadian Red Ensign. As Canada matured as a nation, particularly after the end of the First World War, where Canadian troops flew the Red Ensign, the movement to adopt a distinctly Canadian flag grew. The maple leaf itself had long been an unofficial symbol held dear by Canadians. Nevertheless, it became ever more recognizable outside of Canada during the First World War as the cap badge worn by the Canadian Expeditionary Force and as the emblem carved on many of the headstones of Canadians who gave their lives from 1914-1918.

Canadians were divided on how to represent Canada and its people best in the flag’s design. Some Canadians held on tight to their ties to Great Britain and the Monarchy, wishing to keep flying the Union Jack or Red Ensign, the latter representing Canada during the Second World War. In Quebec, there was a similar strong loyalty to the Fleurdelisé amongst French-Canadians. It would be a long and emotional debate before the Maple Leaf would be officially proclaimed the national flag by Queen Elizabeth II. A dialogue in which Second World War veterans would play an integral role in its creation.

John Matheson (courtesy Heritage Canada).

John Matheson

John Matheson was a flag enthusiast, a Liberal Member of Parliament, and the Parliamentary Secretary for Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson. He led the multi-party parliamentary committee to select a new flag design for Canada. He had previously served with the 1st Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery and was gravely wounded in Ortona, Italy. Matheson played a central role in ensuring that George Stanley’s design–which became the chosen flag–received consensus from the selection committee.

George Bist

George Bist, a veteran who had previously served in the Canadian Army as a Morse code operator and was present at the German surrender in May 1945 near Bremen, Germany, submitted a simple design of a red maple leaf on a white background flanked by two blue stripes. He lived in Toronto and worked as a graphic designer. Bist’s calculations eventually defined the final proportions of the flag and its elements.

Design submitted by George Bist (©Canadian Museum of History, 19890086-323)

Jacques St-Cyr

Jacques St-Cyr was born in Batiscan, Québec in 1921. In 1942, at 21, he voluntarily enlisted and took part in the liberation of Europe. He arrived in Courseulles-sur-Mer, France, with the Maisonneuve Regiment on July 7th as a Sergeant with “A” company. He was wounded on July 30th in Saint-André-sur-Orne during the siege of the town and repatriated to England. In 1945, he returned to his regiment to participate in the liberation of the Netherlands. He was lucky enough to survive the war and return home. Like many other returning veterans, he received a scholarship and chose to study graphic design. During the “Great Flag Debate,” St-Cyr was a Canadian Government Exhibition Commission graphic artist. He simplified the 13-point maple leaf to the familiar 11-point design.

Jacques St-Cyr (left and right; photos courtesy Heritage Canada).

George F. G. Stanley

Stanley with his winning Canadian flag (courtesy Heritage Canada).

George F. G. Stanley was a respected historian, holding the first ever chair in Canadian history in Canada, and a one-time lieutenant-governor of New Brunswick. He served as a junior officer in the New Brunswick Rangers early in the Second World War. Later, he joined the Historical Section at Canadian Army Headquarters in London and became deputy director. He retired from the army in 1946 with the rank of lieutenant-colonel.

In March 1964, Stanley wrote to Matheson about what the flag should represent and look like. In this letter, he sketched the first-ever representation of what would become the Canada flag we know today. It was hand-drawn with red bars on each side of the six-inch rectangle. In the middle of the white centre background, Stanley had placed a single, stylized 13-point maple leaf (later simplified to an 11-point leaf by Jacques St-Cyr). The design received support from the parliamentary committee, and Parliament approved the flag on December 15th, 1964. It was first flown on February 15th, 1965 (now known as National Flag Day in Canada).

Left: Stanley’s original sketch from letter to Matheson. (Courtesy Heritage Canada). Roght: Matheson wrote a postcard to Stanley after his design was selected by vote in 1964, saying, “Your proposed flag has just now been approved by the Commons 163 to 78. Congratulations. I believe it is an excellent flag that will serve Canada well.” (Library and Archives Canada, Acc. No. 1979-75-50).

Legacy of the Flag

Ten thousand people gathered in Ottawa on February 15th, 1965, to witness the inauguration of the new Canadian flag. At precisely noon on Parliament Hill, guns from the nearby Nepean Point sounded as R.C.M.P. Constable Joseph Secours, 26, hoisted the National Flag of Canada for the first time.

Thus, the Maple Leaf Canadians fly with pride worldwide, and veterans have left their imprint on the newest emblem of Canada. Even so–there is so much more to this story! The Canadian Encyclopedia has an excellent article on the National Flag of Canada, co-authored by John Matheson, that goes into much further detail about the long and divisive road taken over decades that led to the creation of Canada’s Maple Leaf flag.

Unveiling the New Flag (courtesy Library and Archives Canada/PA-142624).

This year, it is projected that for the 80th anniversary of D-Day, approximately five million visitors will visit the museums in Normandy, France. And it is our sacred duty to ensure that year-round, in all weather conditions, we honour the legacy of our flag by guaranteeing that visitors are greeted by its familiar sight above the sands of Juno Beach.