THE CANADIAN FLAG [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
Sin, — In a letter headed " The Canadian Flag " appearing in your issue of January 8th, 1927, Mr. Harry Baldwin writes "Canada has no national flag ... the so-called Canadian flag may not be flown on Canadian soil without at once committing an heraldic error and arousing the contemptuous comments of the Canadian Imperialists. . . . The flag of the Canadian mercantile marine is no doubt the flag which you assume to k the national flag of Canada."
While it is true that the flag to which you referred in your "ue of December 18th is that of the Canadian mercantile marine, and is not, therefore, properly termed " a national flag," one hesitates to allow the British people to absorb all
the ideas which Mr. Baldwin expresses. He states lie is a Ianadian. I also am a Canadian, having lived in Canada all aa- life excepting the few years when I commanded a battalion overseas during the War, and I am au Imperialist. I am quite eonfident that the views which I hold regarding the Union Jack are those held by a very large majority of the Canadian People. The number of true Canadians who wish any change froal the Union Jack to some other emblem, even though it be Ilyled a " National flag," is comparatively few, seeing that it would have no history behind it, and among the inhabitants of the world would not be as well known in a hundred years as the Union .Jack is at present.
All public buildings in Canada, post offices, customs houses.
ice:, which are under the Dominion Government, and the drill halls and barracks, which are more immediately under the Minister of National Defence, fly the Union Jack. In Manitoba, all Public Schools, by an Act of the Manitoba Legislature, are 'iropelled to fly the Union Jack, any school district neglecting 'COmPly with this law thereby forfeiting the Government giant. If these facts alone, not to mention others, do not imply !la, the Union Jack is considered to be the national flag of Canada, what more is required 311.• Baldwin also states—" I hope that one day our Canadian
politicians will have the courage to decide the flag question instead of side-stepping it as they have been doing for some
years past." Does it not seem evident that Canadian politicians have shown intelligence as well as courage in leaving the flag question alone, as they have no doubt been guided by what they feel is the wish of the people as a whole, and no have not undertaken to pander to the desires of a few who may, for some reason or other, wish to have a change ?—I am, Sir, &c.,
J. B. MITCHELL.
(Colonel), O.C. 20th Infantry Brigade. il7nnipeg, Man., Canada.
Previous page
