Canada is an original country with a long, complex and exciting history, which can be traced even in state symbols. What can her coat of arms or flag tell?
Historical options
The first colonies appeared on the territory of the country in the sixteenth century. Residents did not have their own emblems, only the Scottish immigrants had symbols granted by Jacob Six. Their emblem was a silver shield with a blue St. Andrew’s cross, and in the center was a royal red lion with a double border in heraldic lilies.
By the middle of the seventeenth century, the country of Canada still did not exist, remaining many scattered colonies, but not only the Scots acquired symbolism. In 1637, the Newfoundland coat of arms was officially approved, representing the shield of a London company crowned with a moose.
Towards the end of the century, another symbol appeared in the west. There, the influence of the Hudson's Bay company increased, which used as a coat of arms a shield with a cross and images of four beavers in the corners, supported by deer on the sides, and topped with a hunting cap on which the dog sits. In 1763, all colonies were captured by England. But the single coat of arms of Canada did not appear - the locals used unofficial symbols with images of beaver or leaves of Canadian maple.
In July 1867, the colonies of Ontario, Nova Scotia, Quebec and New Brunswick merged into the Canadian Confederation. It was a self-governing dominion. The first coat of arms of Canada appeared, which was a four-part shield. On it is the symbolism of each of the provinces - yellow maple leaves, French lilies, English lions and a floating galley. However, part of the territories remained in the possession of the Hudson's Bay, therefore it is impossible to talk about the appearance of the predecessor of the modern symbol.
Rupert’s land used the British trade flag as its coat of arms, abbreviated as HBC. In 1871, the territory joined the dominion, followed by British Columbia, and in 1873, Prince Edward Island. The coat of arms of Canada became too complex and large, so it was decided not to take into account the new provinces and not add their symbolism.
Modern look
The existing version of the story is far from so extensive. The new country of Canada lasted several decades before work began on the development of the coat of arms.
In 1919, a committee was formed, and in 1921, George the Fifth approved the state symbol. In 1957, several changes were made to it - they made the color of maple leaves red instead of green, simplified the shape of the shield and pedestal, and replaced the Tudors with the crown of Edward the Confessor. The coat of arms of Canada found its final appearance only in 1994. A ribbon with the motto “They wanted a better country” was added to the image, and the bastard changed into a chain of stylized red and white maple leaves.
Using
The modern coat of arms of Canada, the description of which can be read above, is used as a symbol of state power. It can be seen in departments and missions, in the cabinet of ministers, in the Parliament and the court, as well as on each banknote.
Interestingly, the image is created by a special printing method, which protects money from the possibility of counterfeiting. The emblem is also used on fifty-cent coins and passport covers. In the army, the insignia with the coat of arms may be worn by a warrant officer and horror. On the flag, it can be used on special state occasions - for example, on the centenary of Canada. Finally, the coat of arms can be seen on official documents issued by the government and parliament, ministries, the supreme court, as well as on debate publications and papers of embassies abroad. The use of the state symbol for commercial purposes is prohibited by law.
The value of the elements
The crown over the coat of arms belongs to St. Edward and was used for the coronations of Canadian monarchs. She reports on the state status of the country. The crest reminds of the emblem of Great Britain, but there is also a difference - the British golden lion does not hold a red maple leaf in its hand, which serves as a symbol of Canada's sovereignty. In addition, such an animal is a detail of the flag of the Governor General.
Burelet - two interwoven fabric pipes, on the emblem they are made in white and red. The heraldic shield is composed of five parts. Four of them indicate the countries where the ancestors of the Canadians came from - three golden lions on the scarlet are connected with England, red on gold - with Scotland, a yellow harp located on blue represents Ireland, lilies on the background of the same color indicate France. The fifth part is occupied by three red leaves of Canadian maple on a silver field, they symbolize unity, as they grow from one branch.
The shield is surrounded by a ribbon with the motto “They wished for a better country”, the same inscription is used on the highest civilian award. Below is a turquoise ribbon with the inscription "From Sea to Sea", taken from a biblical psalm. In 2006, it was proposed to change the text so that it reflects the territory correctly - Canada has access to three oceans: the Atlantic, the Arctic and the Pacific. At the edges of the shield support the English lion and the Scottish unicorn, borrowed from British symbols. They are holding flagpoles. On one is the royal banner of Britain, and on the other is France. The base of the coat of arms is a platform of heraldic plants - Welsh and English roses.
State flag
To understand the history reflected in the symbolism, it is not enough to know the meaning of only one emblem. It is better to study both the flag and the coat of arms of Canada. The state flag is covered with three vertical stripes - two narrow red ones along the edges and a wide white one in the center. In the middle is also a stylized image of a maple leaf. Red stripes symbolize the shores of the oceans. The sheet is the unity of the nation. Red color is associated with the Cross of St. George, and white - with the French monarchy. The path to choosing a flag was as difficult as in the case of the coat of arms - the modern version was adopted only in 1965, after considering more than two thousand diverse design ideas.