Happy Flag Day, Canada

   It was February 15, 1965 the then new Maple Leaf flag flew for the first time atop the Centre Block of Parliament. The symbol of our country was a design chosen from several others, and was the unanimous pick of a special committee struck in 1964 by the then Lester Pearson liberal government.
   It replaced the old Canadian Ensign

   But there were questions about the whole process, with most being asked by the opposition Conservatives lead by John Diefenbaker.
   Debate in the Commons was acrimonious, and the Liberals had to use closure to end it after the Tories filibustered, trying to stall approval for as long as possible.
   In fact, my own father was vehemently opposed to the Maple Leaf flag. So much so that at his funeral (he was a wounded war vet) even though he could have had a flag-draped coffin, he refused saying he did not fight under that flag, so he wouldn't be buried under it either.
   And while the vast majority of people in Canada now alive don't remember anything but the current flag, I do.
   Happy 50th, Maple Leaf flag, and have a safe long Family Day weekend, if you get it off.

TTFN