Canadian Red Ensign

Canadian Red Ensign

Red Ensign used from 1957 to 1965
Use	Civil ensign[note 1]
Proportion	1:2
Adopted	1957 (earlier versions in 1892 and 1922)[note 2]
Relinquished	1965
Design	A red field, featuring the Royal Union Flag in the canton, defaced with the shield portion of the coat of arms of Canada.

The Canadian Red Ensign (French: Red Ensign canadien) served as a nautical flag and civil ensign for Canada from 1892 to 1965, and later as the de facto flag of Canada before 1965.^[3] The flag is a British Red Ensign, with the Royal Union Flag in the canton, emblazoned with the shield of the coat of arms of Canada.

The Canadian Red Ensign emerged as an informal flag to represent Canada as early as the 1870s and was used at sea^[3] and on land "on all public buildings throughout the provinces,"^[4] prior to becoming the country's civil ensign in 1892. The flag was adorned with the arms of the Canadian provinces until 1922, when the arms of Canada replaced the amalgamation of provincial arms on the ensign. During the Second World War, the ensign saw use as symbol that represented Canada's armed forces. In 1945, an order in council named the Canadian Red Ensign a "distinctive Canadian flag" to fly on government buildings. However, the ensign was never formally adopted as a national flag of Canada, with the Union Flag used in that role until the Maple Leaf flag was adopted in 1965.^[3] The Maple Leaf flag also replaced the Canadian Red Ensign as the civil ensign of the country after it was adopted.

Cite error: There are <ref group=note> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=note}} template (see the help page).