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This chapter covers the symbols that stand for Canada and the holidays Canadians mark together. Test questions here are usually short and factual: a year, a date, a meaning or a name. Most mistakes come from mixing up two similar facts, so pay special attention to the mix-ups at the end.
The Crown
Canada is a constitutional monarchy, and the Crown is the symbol of the Canadian state as a whole: Parliament, the provincial legislatures, the courts, police services and the Armed Forces. Canada became a constitutional monarchy in its own right at Confederation in 1867, during the reign of Queen Victoria. Today the Sovereign is King Charles III, and the royal anthem is God Save the King.
Flags, the maple leaf and the fleur-de-lys
- The red-and-white maple leaf flag was first raised in 1965. Its red-white-red pattern comes from the flag of the Royal Military College in Kingston (founded 1876).
- Red and white were proclaimed the national colours by King George V in 1921.
- The Canadian Red Ensign served as the country’s flag for about 100 years before 1965. The Union Jack (Royal Union Flag) is still an official flag in Canada.
- The maple leaf is the best-known Canadian symbol. French Canadians adopted it in the 1700s, it has been on uniforms and insignia since the 1850s, and it is carved on the headstones of fallen soldiers.
- The fleur-de-lys (a lily design) was a symbol of French royalty for more than a thousand years, including in New France. Quebec’s provincial flag, adopted in 1948, is based on a cross and fleurs-de-lys.
Coat of arms, motto and Parliament
After the First World War, Canada adopted an official coat of arms and the motto A mari usque ad mare, Latin for “from sea to sea.” The arms combine symbols of England, France, Scotland and Ireland with red maple leaves, and they appear on money, government documents and public buildings.
The Parliament Buildings in Ottawa were built in the 1860s in the Gothic Revival style. Fire destroyed the Centre Block in 1916; only the Library of Parliament survived, and the Centre Block was rebuilt by 1922. The Peace Tower, completed in 1927, honours the First World War, and its Memorial Chamber holds the Books of Remembrance with the names of those who died serving Canada. Quebec’s National Assembly is in the French Second Empire style.
Sports, the beaver and languages
Hockey is the national winter sport and the most popular sport to watch. Lacrosse, first played by Aboriginal peoples, is the national summer sport. Soccer has the most registered players, Canadian football is the second most popular sport, and curling was brought by Scottish pioneers. Lord Stanley, a Governor General, donated the Stanley Cup in 1892; the Clarkson Cup for women’s hockey was created in 2005.
The beaver was a symbol of the Hudson’s Bay Company centuries ago and appears on the five-cent coin. English and French are the two official languages; the Official Languages Act was passed in 1969.
Anthem and honours
O Canada was first sung in Quebec City in 1880 and was proclaimed the national anthem in 1980. It has English and French lyrics; since 2018 the English version says “True patriot love in all of us command.”
Canada created its own honours system with the Order of Canada in 1967, the centennial of Confederation. The Victoria Cross is the highest honour, awarded for bravery in the presence of the enemy. Recipients include Alexander Roberts Dunn (the first Canadian, 1854), William Hall (the first Black recipient, 1857), flying ace Billy Bishop and Paul Triquet (Italy, 1943).
Symbols at a glance
| Symbol | What to remember |
|---|---|
| The Crown | The Canadian state and government; the Sovereign is King Charles III |
| Maple leaf flag | First raised in 1965 |
| Maple leaf | Best-known symbol; used by French Canadians since the 1700s |
| Fleur-de-lys | French royalty and New France; Quebec’s flag (1948) |
| A mari usque ad mare | National motto: “from sea to sea” |
| Peace Tower | Memorial to the First World War, completed 1927 |
| Beaver | Hudson’s Bay Company emblem; five-cent coin |
| Hockey / lacrosse | National winter sport / national summer sport |
| O Canada | National anthem, proclaimed 1980 |
| God Save the King | Royal anthem |
| Victoria Cross | Highest honour, for bravery facing the enemy |
| Order of Canada | Honours outstanding achievement and service (since 1967) |
| Red poppy | Worn for Remembrance Day |
Holidays and dates
| Day | Date |
|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | January 1 |
| Sir John A. Macdonald Day | January 11 |
| Good Friday / Easter Monday | Friday before / Monday after Easter Sunday |
| Vimy Day | April 9 |
| Victoria Day (the Sovereign’s birthday) | Monday before May 25 |
| National Indigenous Peoples Day | June 21 |
| Fête nationale (Quebec) | June 24 |
| Canada Day | July 1 |
| Civic Holiday (most places) | First Monday of August |
| Labour Day | First Monday of September |
| National Day for Truth and Reconciliation | September 30 |
| Thanksgiving | Second Monday of October |
| Remembrance Day | November 11 |
| Sir Wilfrid Laurier Day | November 20 |
| Christmas Day / Boxing Day | December 25 / December 26 |
Common mix-ups
- 1965 vs 1980: 1965 is the flag; 1980 is O Canada becoming the national anthem (first sung in 1880).
- Hockey vs lacrosse: hockey is played on ice, so it is the winter sport; lacrosse is the summer sport.
- Victoria Cross vs Order of Canada: the VC is for bravery in battle; the Order of Canada is for achievement and service.
- The motto: “from sea to sea,” not “peace, order and good government” (that phrase is from the 1867 constitution).
- Two anthems: O Canada is the national anthem; God Save the King is the royal anthem.
- June dates: June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day; June 24 is Quebec’s Fête nationale.
- January 11 vs November 20: Macdonald Day vs Laurier Day.
- Thanksgiving: in Canada it is the second Monday of October, not in November.