I was twelve when Canada's Prime Minister Lester Pearson decided that it was time for Canada to celebrate its independence by adopting a national flag to replace the flag known as the Canadian Ensign. The former flag placed too much emphasis on Canada's imperial roots. I remember the summer of 1964 when versions of our new flag were circulating seeking public consensus.
Ultimately our simple red and white maple leaf flag won the day.
When I began riding Vespas I sewed a modest Canadian flag on each of my riding jackets. That was pretty much the first and only time in my life that I had a Canadian flag on anything I owned. I did that because when I rode in the US, which I did on multiple occasions, I wanted people to know I was a proud Canadian.
Canadians never flew their flag anywhere near as much as Americans flew theirs. Most Canadians felt, to be honest, that Americans were far, far, far too addicted to the Stars and Stripes.
All that said, if you look carefully, you will now see a Canadian flag on my Brompton.
There is one on the other side of the bike as well, and I have one on my helmet, and one on my helmet's winter shell.
I sewed one on the strap of my sling and there are now Canadian flags on our cars, one here...
...and one here as well...
... and we are also flying a Canadian flag on our balcony...
We are doing this because for the first time in our lifetime, Canada is under attack from the US. I never would have thought that would be possible. And yet that is what is happening. Our economy is being hammered by American tariffs, and as American democracy flails under a growing aggressive presidential dictatorship, our independence and our sovereignty are under attack by Americans, along with those of Panama and Greenland, all while an aggressive tariff war is being inflicted by Americans on the global economy.
We are now flying our flag not so much to make an impression on Americans, because that is pointless. We will never cross the border or buy American products so long as this insanity lasts. We are doing it to remind our fellow Canadians that we stand strong and defiant, because we cherish who we are as a nation.
Elbows up Canada!
Make sure your voice is heard by voting in the upcoming Federal election!
2 comments:
David, I've been belatedly catching up on other's blogs and I agree wholeheartedly with this article. Whilst I have good friends who are American citizens and spent some time working in the US during the 90's, I now regard the US as an institution as no friend of New Zealand. My respect for other countries who have been sucking up to Trump has also diminished. Very much a case of the playground bully who we all despised at school. I could go on and on but you get the drift.
Thanks Geoff. I can’t begin to express the scope of my contempt for the current US administration and its supporters.
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