Living to Tell the Story

HAPPY CANADA DAY!

Some interesting facts about Canada's flag to help celebrate Canada's Birthday:

- Canada's red and white maple flag was first raised on Parliment Hill in 1965.

-the search for a new Canadian flag actually started in 1925

-there were a couple of stops and starts on submissions and parliment voting along the way

-Red and white, Canada's official colors, were appointed by King George V in 1921

-there is a 10 year waiting list to recieve a flag that has been flown on the Peace Tower

-the flag at the Peace Tower flies 24 hours a day but is changed every morning by a trained employee

-the largest Canadian flag ever made and flown was 38 metres by 76 metres and took 80 pairs of hands to carry it. It is too big to ever fly. A flag this big costs $15,000.

-want to use the flag for something other than authorized use? It is protected by the Trade Marks Act and so written submissions must be made to the Department of Canadian Heritage with sketches of the intended use.

-no signatures or markings are allowed on the flag, nothing should be pinned or sewn onto it, but a border may be attached to the edge where signatures may be put.

Happy Canada Day!