Senators say Canada’s flag is a symbol of national pride, growth

OTTAWA — A group of Canadian senators is sharing views on the country’s flag, with some calling it a symbol of pride and togetherness, and others saying it represents Canada’s growth.

The report released this week is the result of an “inquiry” on the meaning of the Canadian flag launched by Sen. Andrew Cardozo a year ago.

Canada is marking the 60th anniversary of the national flag, adopted in 1965 with its iconic red Maple Leaf under Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson. Cardozo says it’s important that Canadians are proud of the flag.

“I think the convoy folks appropriated the flag two years ago for their negative message about our system,” Cardozo said. “This year with the threat to our nationhood from the south, we need to take it back and stand proud with our single most recognizable emblem.”

With Flag Day being celebrated on Saturday, all living former prime ministers are asking Canadians to express their national pride and “show the flag” as U.S. President Donald Trump continues to make threats against this country’s economic security and sovereignty.

The report says the senators recognized the flag’s “complex symbolism,” noting the challenges it represents for Indigenous peoples and its recent use in political protests.

Senators shared their personal feelings about the flag, with two of them drawing connections to sports.

Sen. Chantal Petitclerc, a wheelchair racer who has won gold medals at the Olympics, Paralympics and Commonwealth Games, says she remembers her heart bursting with “joy and pride” watching the Canadian flag rise from the podium after winning a gold medal.

“There I was, staring at my flag, representing Canada, feeling the power of a whole country and feeling grateful for this flag and for what it represents — for this country, where I was able to go from a small town, a 13-year-old girl lying on the ground at our farm after my accident, then being included and supported all the way to that podium,” Petitclerc said.

Sen. Tony Loffreda recounted seeing people in the streets waving Canadian flags and singing the anthem after a win at the 1972 Summit Series, where he says a feeling of pride “intoxicated” him.

Sen. Jane Cordy said that while Canadians don’t all have the same experiences or feelings toward the flag and what it represents, “our flag does create a linkage and a context that inspires conversation.”

For Sen. Lucie Moncion, the flag is a visual representation of “a society that is reinventing and transforming itself with the passage of time.”

The report says that while the flag unites many Canadians, there is also a need for continued reflection on national history and reconciliation.

“The inquiry ultimately reaffirmed the flag as an enduring emblem of Canada’s identity, growth, and aspirations,” it reads.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 14, 2025.

Catherine Morrison, The Canadian Press