Red Ensign - Canada

Canada

The term Red Ensign is often used to refer to the Canadian Red Ensign, the former de facto national flag of Canada. It was informally adopted following Canadian Confederation in 1867 and, from 1892, it was the official flag for use on Canadian merchant ships. On land, however, the official national flag was the Union Flag. Despite its unofficial status, the Red Ensign was widely used on land as well. In 1924, the Red Ensign was approved for use on Canadian government buildings outside Canada, and from 1945 for those inside Canada as well.

Canada's Red Ensign bore various forms of the shield from the Canadian coat of arms in its fly during the period of its use. The picture shows the official form between 1957 and 1965. Canada also used a blue ensign for ships operated by the Canadian government and for the Royal Canadian Navy.

The Red Ensign served as Canada's national flag until 1965 when, after considerable debate, it was replaced by today's Maple Leaf Flag. The Red Ensign is still popular amongst traditionalists and monarchists and even though the flag is no longer in use nationally, the original provincial versions of the flag, with the coat of arms of the respective provinces in the fly, continue as the official flags of Manitoba and Ontario.

The Hudson's Bay Company also used a Red Ensign as their corporate flag.

  • Canadian Red Ensign

  • Ontario's official flag since 1965

  • Manitoba's official flag since 1966

  • Hudson's Bay Company corporate flag

See also: Great Canadian Flag Debate; see Flag of Manitoba and Flag of Ontario for surviving provincial Red Ensigns.


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