The flag
The red and white maple leaf flag is younger than most people assume: it was raised for the first time in 1965. Its red-white-red pattern was taken from the flag of the Royal Military College in Kingston, which was founded in 1876.
Red and white had been colours of both France and England since the Middle Ages, and they became Canada’s national colours in 1921. Before 1965 the Canadian Red Ensign served as the flag for roughly a century. The Union Jack is still Canada’s official Royal Flag, and every province and territory has a flag of its own.
The maple leaf
The maple leaf is the best-known Canadian symbol. French Canadians took it up in the 1700s, it has appeared on Canadian uniforms and insignia since the 1850s, and it is carved into the headstones of Canadian soldiers who died in war, both overseas and at home.
The fleur-de-lys
The lily flower is linked to French royalty. According to tradition the French king adopted it in the year 496, and it remained the emblem of the French monarchy for over a thousand years, New France included. It was part of the Canadian Red Ensign, and in 1948 Quebec adopted a flag of its own built on a cross and the fleur-de-lys.
The beaver
The beaver was the emblem of the Hudson’s Bay Company long before it was a national one. In 1834 the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society, a French-Canadian patriotic association, made it their emblem too.
- You can see it on the five-cent coin.
- It appears on the coats of arms of Saskatchewan and Alberta.
- It appears on the arms of cities including Montreal and Toronto.
The coat of arms and the motto
After the First World War, as a sign of national pride, Canada adopted an official coat of arms and a national motto. The arms combine symbols of England, France, Scotland and Ireland with red maple leaves.
The motto is A mari usque ad mare. It is Latin, and it means “from sea to sea” — a phrase worth memorising exactly, because the test asks for it.
The Parliament Buildings
The Parliament Buildings in Ottawa were finished in the 1860s. An accidental fire destroyed the Centre Block in 1916 and it was rebuilt by 1922, which is why the Library is the one part of the original building still standing.
The Peace Tower, finished in 1927, is a memorial to the First World War. Inside it, the Memorial Chamber holds the Books of Remembrance, which list the Canadians who died serving the country in war or on duty.
The national anthem
O Canada was first sung in Québec City in 1880 but only became the official national anthem in 1980. English and French Canadians sing it with different words. Separately, the Royal Anthem of Canada may be played or sung whenever Canadians want to honour the Sovereign.
Honours
Canada got its own honours system in 1967, the centennial of Confederation, beginning with the Order of Canada. The highest honour open to Canadians is the Victoria Cross, given for the most conspicuous bravery in the face of the enemy. The official study guide counts 96 Canadians who have received it since 1854.
Official languages
English and French are Canada’s two official languages and are treated as symbols of identity in their own right. Parliament passed the Official Languages Act in 1969, aiming for equality between French and English in Parliament and the Government of Canada, and to support official-language minority communities.
To become a citizen you need adequate knowledge of English or French. Adult applicants aged 55 or over are exempt from the language requirement.
Sports
Ice hockey was developed in Canada in the 1800s and is the national winter sport; lacrosse, first played by Aboriginal peoples, is the official summer sport. The Stanley Cup, the prize the National Hockey League plays for, was donated in 1892 by Lord Stanley, then Governor General.
Canadian football is the second most popular sport, curling came over with Scottish pioneers, and soccer has more registered players than any other game in the country.
National holidays and dates to know
The test can ask what happens on a given date, so these are worth learning as pairs:
- January 11 — Sir John A. Macdonald Day
- April 9 — Vimy Day
- The Monday before May 25 — Victoria Day, marking the Sovereign’s birthday
- June 24 — Fête nationale in Quebec, the Feast of St. John the Baptist
- July 1 — Canada Day
- The first Monday of September — Labour Day
- The second Monday of October — Thanksgiving
- November 11 — Remembrance Day
- November 20 — Sir Wilfrid Laurier Day
- December 25 and 26 — Christmas Day and Boxing Day