There was a time, not so long ago, when the Canadian flag was a strong symbol, an emblem flown with pride by people all across this land.
Sure, some international wiseacres teased us for eschewing more aggressive lions or dragons or sickles on our flag for a humble, solitary leaf. But you can stick your sickle – we loved the quiet strength of our fierce foliage. While other countries looked to the stars, we stayed rooted to the land, warming our hearts and filling our cups with the universal power of maple syrup.
Go back 15 years, to 2010, right here in Vancouver.
“Iggy!” yelled Sidney Crosby, prompting Jarome Iginla to muscle a pass off the boards, with Crosby pouncing on the pass and sweeping it by Ryan Miller to give Canada a famous Olympic hockey gold medal win over the United States. Watch the highlights, look at the crowd. It is an ocean of red jerseys, a forest of Maple Leafs.
That is a “remember where you were” moment for Canadians. I was in Vancouver, not at the arena but at a friend’s house. When that puck went in we raced downtown and joined the flood of flag-draped Canadians, hugging strangers, singing, chanting – it was like the Canucks riot, but the exact opposite.
Go back 26 years, to the Woodstock ‘99 concert.
“We crossed when the lake was frozen, like exiles from the Canadas of your soul,” quipped Gord Downie, just as the Tragically Hip launched into “Grace, Too” to start their set in front of an enormous crowd of Canadians, invading that New York field with their billowing collection of Maple Leaf flags and weird dance moves.
Downie’s lyrics dissected Canada in a way that was truly unique. From shipwrecks to prison breaks, iconic goals to polar bears, no other performer I’ve ever encountered has so thoroughly mapped a nation with their music. Plus, he offered us all a great reminder of the difficulty the Toronto Maple Leafs have winning the Stanley Cup.
Now go back three years, to 2022 in our nation’s capital.
Canadian flags are again flying all over. But some of them are upside down? And wait, what are those other flags they’re proudly flying? And what’s with all the honking? Honking all day and night, keeping other hard-working Canadians awake in their own homes?
For many Canadians, the allure of the flag changed that day.
In the weeks and months that followed, if you saw a vehicle plastered with Canadian flags you could be pretty sure they weren’t just really big Anne of Green Gables fans or Cheezie connoisseurs. Much more likely that they had a problematic grasp of the science of immunization, potentially unhealthy fixations on harming public officials, and maybe anger issues?
The flag’s image also dimmed for many in recent years as more information came to light about the historical horrors perpetrated by the government-sponsored residential school system.
So where are we now? Go back a month, with a 78-year-old man taking control of the White House and immediately targeting Canada. His kind-of-unstated but completely understood position is that he would like to take control of Canada, his country’s greatest ally, and make it the 51st state.
Now, my flannel-loving friends, is time to unfurl that Maple Leaf flag and let it fly again. There’s nothing like a little existential threat to restore some national pride and unite an entire country. That Maple Leaf fervour has been building over the last month, and today is as good a day as any to unleash it in all its respectfully firm glory. It’s been a while since we’ve seen the national hockey team play with all of the best players, and today they’ll take the ice in a new event called the 4 Nations Face-Off.
The timing is unique for the best-on-best tournament, particularly matchups against the United States. The tariff fight was picked by politicians, but this is a pretty fun way to play it out with sticks and skates, not tanks or taxes.
Now go back to 1980, a young man named Terry Fox is running across Canada. With one leg amputated due to bone cancer that is still ravaging his body, he is somehow running a full marathon distance every single day. His T-shirt says Marathon of Hope, and the logo is a map of Canada turned into a Maple Leaf flag.
Go back to Normandy in 1944, Vimy Ridge in 1917. The Canadian flag was adopted in 1965, but that spirit has been running for decades before. It’s not a perfect place, but there is much good here, much worth fighting for.
The Maple Leaf is a proud symbol. It’s time to take it back.
Andy Prest is the editor of the North Shore News. His humour/lifestyle column runs biweekly.
