Canada’s red-and-white maple leaf flag is visually simple, but its final design emerged from a long national debate and a precise technical specification.
Adoption in 1965
Parliament approved the design in 1964. It was proclaimed in January 1965 and raised for the first time on February 15, now celebrated as National Flag of Canada Day.
A precise design
The flag is twice as long as it is wide. Its red side fields flank a white square containing a stylized eleven-point maple leaf.
A shared Canadian symbol
The maple leaf had represented Canadian identity long before 1965. The modern flag gave the country a distinctive national symbol recognizable without words.
Reference: Description of the National Flag of Canada
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
Why does the maple leaf have eleven points?
The stylized eleven-point form was selected for a clear, recognizable appearance; it is not meant to represent provinces or territories.
When is National Flag of Canada Day?
It is observed annually on February 15, marking the flag’s first official raising in 1965.