National Flag of Canada Day

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The national flag of Canada.

Flag Day in Canada is observed on February 15 each year, commemorating the inauguration of the national flag of Canada by Governor General Georges Vanier on that date in 1965.^[1] The day, officially called National Flag of Canada Day, is marked by flying the flag, occasional public ceremonies (especially in 2005, its 40th anniversary), and educational programs in schools. It is not a public holiday, although there has been discussion about creating one.

The banner replaced the Canadian Red Ensign, which had been in use, if not officially, in one form or another since 1868. The new flag was passed by the House of Commons on December 15, 1964, by the Senate two days later, and was proclaimed by Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, to take effect on February 15 of the following year.^[2] The flag first flew on Parliament Hill on that date.

Flag Day was instituted in 1996 by an Order-in-Council from Governor General Roméo LeBlanc, on the initiative of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. Outside of the federal government, its official title is little used. The official name could be interpreted as suggesting there is a national flag for Canada Day. The somewhat awkward official name, with insertion of the qualifying words "of Canada," likely stems from the problem of using the word nation or national in Canada, where it is invoked by various groups such as aboriginal peoples, called First Nations, and by the province of Quebec, which is sometimes referred to as a nation (e.g., National Assembly of Quebec). At the official level, it was decided National Flag Day would not be acceptable. Despite this, National Flag Day, and especially Flag Day, are commonly used.

At the very first Flag Day ceremony in Hull, Quebec, Chrétien's speech was drowned out by a group of demonstrators upset by proposed cuts in the unemployment insurance legislation. Chrétien left the stage and while walking through the crowd he encountered Bill Clennett, one of the demonstrators who was shouting "Chrétien, au chômage" ("make Chrétien unemployed"). Chrétien grabbed Clennett by the neck and pushed him aside. Chrétien was criticized for this incident, which came to be dubbed the Shawinigan Handshake, after Chrétien's town of birth Shawinigan, Quebec.

Numerous Canadians feel that Flag Day should be declared a national statutory holiday, as there is a long period early in the year (between New Year's Day and Good Friday) without any holidays, except in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario (see Family Day). That suggestion grew louder as the flag celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2005. On Flag Day in 2007, New Democratic Party Member of Parliament Peggy Nash introduced a private member's bill to make Flag Day a national statutory holiday. Nash said her bill would have made Flag Day a federal holiday and it would have been up to the provinces to decide if they also wanted the statutory holiday.