Canada, the first country in the EU
A bit of Canadian history, from February 15, 1965:
The Red Ensign was the product of 250 or so years of Canadian History, as was, it should be noted, the constitution as it exited prior to Trudeau. The old flag remarks on Canada's British and maritme roots and had a bit to mark each province as they were added. Then, poof. We get this red and white abstraction that means nothing, says nothing, is nothing. Because it's from nowhere. I'm not being cute here. That's what was intended. "Beyond any doubt, [the flag] represents all the citizens of Canada without distinction of race, language, belief or opinion." Why emphasize it so? If it were true, there would be no need. It's like a person who says, "I'm as good as you." If they really thought so, why say it? The second part simply says Canada's history is no longer relevant to how we intend to govern. The constitution is simply the fulfillment of what the flag ceremony intended. The current Canadian flag is like those new Euro bills with pictures of buildings that don't exist. I got to thinking about this after seeing a number of Canadian blogs aligned under the Red Ensign. Which I might like to add to NWW.The Canadian Red Ensign, bearing the Union Jack and the shield of the royal arms of Canada, was lowered and then, on the stroke of noon, our new maple leaf flag was raised. The crowd sang the national anthem O Canada followed by the royal anthem God Save the Queen.
The following words... added further symbolic meaning to our flag: "The flag is the symbol of the nation's unity, for it, beyond any doubt, represents all the citizens of Canada without distinction of race, language, belief or opinion."
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