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Flag of Manitoba

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Manitoba
UseCivil and state flag Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flagSmall vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flagReverse side is mirror image of obverse side
Proportion1:2
AdoptedMay 11, 1965
(first flown on May 12, 1966)
DesignA Red Ensign with the shield of the coat of arms of Manitoba in the field
Canadian Heraldic Authority Design
Proportion1:2
DesignA Red Ensign with a modified shield of the coat of arms of Manitoba in the field

The flag of Manitoba consists of a Red Ensign defaced with the shield of the provincial coat of arms. Adopted in 1965 shortly after the new national flag was inaugurated, it has been the flag of the province since May 12 of the following year. Its adoption was intended to maintain the legacy of the Canadian Red Ensign as the country's unofficial flag, after the adoption of the Maple Leaf Flag in 1965. Manitoba's flag has been frequently mistaken for the flag of the neighbouring province of Ontario, which is also a Red Ensign with its respective coat of arms. This, along with criticisms of a lack of inclusivity of the flag, has led some Manitobans to call for a new and more distinct flag.[1]

History

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The Manitoba Act received royal assent on May 12, 1870, allowing for the creation of the province of Manitoba; it officially joined Confederation two months later on July 15.[2][3] On August 2 of that same year, an Order in Council was promulgated to establish a seal for the new province. It featured the Cross of Saint George at the chief and a bison on a green field for the lower portion.[4] Subsequently, King Edward VII issued a Royal Warrant on May 10, 1905, allowing Manitoba to utilize their own coat of arms.[5][6] At the time, this consisted solely of a shield identical to the Great Seal of the province.[4][5][6]

On February 15, 1965, the federal government introduced a new national flag featuring a maple leaf to replace the Union Jack (the official flag) and the Canadian Red Ensign, the country's civil ensign at the time that had been used unofficially as the national flag.[4][7][8][9] The Great Canadian Flag Debate that preceded this change showed there were still parts of Canada where imperialist nostalgia was strong. Lamenting the demise of the Canadian Red Ensign, its proponents in those regions endeavoured to have it modified as a provincial flag.[10] Resistance to the new national flag was most vociferous in the rural areas of Manitoba and Ontario.[11] Consequently, both provinces chose to incorporate the Red Ensign into their official flags.[11][12][13] In Manitoba, Maitland Steinkopf – the Provincial Secretary at the time – favoured a contest to design a provincial flag from scratch. In order to meet halfway with those who wanted to utilize the Canadian Red Ensign as Manitoba's flag without modification, the Red Ensign was selected but the provincial shield was employed instead of the national one.[4] The Act of Legislature that tabled this flag received royal assent on May 11, 1965.[5] The provincial government subsequently sought approval from Queen Elizabeth II, since this entailed defacing a British flag;[4] this was granted on August 27 of that same year.[5] The new flag was first hoisted officially on May 12, 1966.[4][5] One of the two flag-raisers at that ceremony was a descendant of Thomas Button, the British explorer who in 1612 raised the first British flag over what is now Manitoba.[12]

In an online survey conducted in 2001 by the North American Vexillological Association (NAVA), Manitoba's flag ranked in the bottom half of state, provincial and territorial flags from Canada, the United States, and select current and former territories of the United States.[14] It finished in 44th place out of 72 – one spot behind Ontario's flag[15] – and finished last among Canadian flags.[14][16] The Association was of the opinion that the flag lacked distinctiveness.[14][17] It recommended making the bison as a central figure,[18] as well as doing away with the Union Jack in the canton.[14][19]

Modern day

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Due to the similarities shared by the Manitoba flag with the flag of neighbouring Ontario – with the bottom part of their escutcheons being the sole difference[20] – the two pennants have often been mistaken for one another. Others have complained that it is an anachronistic remnant of British colonial rule over Manitoba.[12] These issues have brought about calls by some Manitobans for a new flag unique to their home province that would represent it better.[15][20][21]

Heather Jones' proposed flag for Manitoba, winner of the 2001 Winnipeg Free Press contest. The bison is the province's most recognisable symbol, while the sun invokes the slogan "Sunny Manitoba".

In 2001, the Winnipeg Free Press held a contest to design a potential new flag for Manitoba, with the top 34 designs selected for voting. The winning entry came from Heather Jones of Fort Rouge, whose design consisted of a stylised blue bison set against a golden sun. However, the flag was never adopted by the province.[22]

A motion calling for a change to the flag was put forward on the program at the provincial New Democratic Party's annual convention in March 2009.[15] However, it failed to make the deadline to get voted on and consequently did not proceed further.[23] Coupled with the fact that the Progressive Conservative Party – which in 2016 won the largest majority in the province's history[24] and were re-elected in 2019[25] – are in favour of the status quo given its connection to Manitoba's origins, the prospect of changing the flag in the near future appears to be remote.[15] The 150th anniversary of Manitoba's entrance into Confederation in 2020 led to renewed calls for a redesign of the flag.[19][21] In 2024, the Manitoba chapter of the NAVA released a public survey asking for the opinion of Manitobans on the current flag and if they would support the pursuit of a new provincial flag, signalling the start of an effort by the association to change the flag.[26]

Design

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Description

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The flag of Manitoba is described in detail in The Provincial Flag Act, provincial legislation that has been in force from February 1, 1988.[27] It specifies the flag is to have an aspect ratio of 2:1,[27][28] "with the Union Jack occupying the upper quarter next the staff and with the shield of the armorial ensigns of the province centred in the half farthest from the staff."[27] The flag's blazon – as outlined in the letters patent registering it with the Canadian Heraldic Authority on November 15, 2010 – reads, "Gules an escutcheon of the Arms of Manitoba, a canton of the Royal Union Flag proper".[29]

The official colour scheme follows the British Admiralty Colour Code, with No. T1144 utilized for nylon worsted bunting, and No. T818A for any other bunting.[27] This roughly corresponds to the Pantone Matching System as indicated below.[30]

Manitoba flag colour
Colour Pantone RGB values Hex
  Red
 186[30] 200-16-46[31] #C8102E[31]

Symbolism

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The arms of the Hudson's Bay Company, which controlled the territory that is now Manitoba, also features Saint George's Cross.

The colours and symbols of the flag carry cultural, political, and regional meanings. According to Auguste Vachon, the bison evokes the Indigenous peoples living in the province, such as the Assiniboine and the Cree. Bison was an integral part of their livelihood, serving as a source of food and clothing. The Cross of Saint George alludes to the patron saint of England, as well as to the arms of the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC), which ruled over the land that is now Manitoba.[32] The Red Ensign is a conspicuous symbol of Great Britain, Canada's mother country.[4]

Similarities

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In addition to the aforementioned resemblance with the flag of Ontario and the Canadian Red Ensign, the Manitoban flag bears a likeness to the flag of the HBC. The company was the only private firm ever permitted to use the modified Red Ensign in its day-to-day operations, and its flag was frequently confused with that of several Canadian provinces.[33] Manitoba's flag is also analogous to the flag of Bermuda.[34][35]

Protocol

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The Manitoban flag flying in Downtown Winnipeg.

Advice regarding flag etiquette is the responsibility of the province's Protocol Office.[36] When flown together with the flag of Canada and the other provincial and territorial flags, the flag of Manitoba is sixth in the order of precedence (after the national flag and, in descending order of precedence, the flags of Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick).[37] This is because it was the fifth province to enter into Confederation,[38][39] and the first one to join after the establishment of the Dominion on July 1, 1867.[40]

In addition to the dates set out by the federal government for flying flags at half-mast, the provincial flag is half-masted upon the death of the Lieutenant Governor or premier (either an incumbent or a previous one) and may also be flown in such a manner when an individual honoured by Manitoba dies. Moreover, the flags situated at the province's Legislative Building are lowered to half-mast upon the death of a soldier who was born or raised in Manitoba, or who was last stationed in the province before being deployed abroad.[41]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Bryce Hoye (February 2, 2020). "Is Manitoba's 150th a chance to redo province's flag?". CBC Manitoba. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  2. ^ Billeck, Scott (March 29, 2019). "Manitoba kicks off year-long celebration of its 150th anniversary". Winnipeg Sun. Postmedia Network. Archived from the original on May 3, 2020. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  3. ^ "About Us – Old". Manitoba 150. Government of Manitoba. Archived from the original on February 22, 2020. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Smith, Whitney (July 23, 2013). "Flag of Manitoba". Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Manitoba (MB) – Facts, Flags and Symbols". Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Government of Canada. November 12, 2010. Archived from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  6. ^ a b "Official Emblems of Manitoba" (PDF). Government of Manitoba. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  7. ^ "The history of the National Flag of Canada". Government of Canada. February 4, 2020. Archived from the original on February 11, 2020. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  8. ^ Milewski, Terry (February 15, 2015). "Canada's flag debate flaps on, 50 years later". CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
  9. ^ Smith, Whitney (February 16, 2017). "Flag of Canada". Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
  10. ^ Huras, Adam (December 26, 2014). "Our provincial flag, the lesser-known story". Telegraph-Journal. Saint John, New Brunswick. Archived from the original on May 28, 2024. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
  11. ^ a b Thomas, Paul G.; Brown, Curtis, eds. (October 2010). Manitoba Politics and Government: Issues, Institutions, Traditions. University of Manitoba Press. pp. 49–50. ISBN 9780887557194.
  12. ^ a b c Grebstad, David W. (2016). "The Flag of Our Fathers? The Manitoba Provincial Flag and British Cultural Hegemony in Manitoba, 1870–1966" (PDF). Raven: A Journal of Vexillology. 23: 55–79. doi:10.5840/raven2016235. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
  13. ^ Montgomery, Marc (January 26, 2017). "Canada history: Jan 26, 1924 Canada's first (more or less) official flag". Radio Canada International. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  14. ^ a b c d Kaye, Ted (June 10, 2001). "New Mexico tops state/provincial flags survey, Georgia loses by wide margin". North American Vexillological Association. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
  15. ^ a b c d Lambert, Steve (February 26, 2009). "Manitoba flag called outdated, a 'relic'". Winnipeg Free Press. The Canadian Press. Archived from the original on May 31, 2017. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
  16. ^ "Flag-lovers flower Quebec's fleur-de-lis with a rosy ranking". Waterloo Region Record. Metroland Media Group. The Canadian Press. June 20, 2001. ProQuest 266956583. At No. 44, it was the lowest-rated Canadian flag, according to the association, receiving a paltry 4.60
  17. ^ "Flag-lovers flower Quebec's fleur-de-lis with a rosy ranking". NewsBank. June 2001. Retrieved April 12, 2017. (subscription required)
  18. ^ Kaye, Ted (2013). Good Flag, Bad Flag – How to Design a Great Flag (PDF). North American Vexillological Association. p. 13. ISBN 978-0-9747728-1-3. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 25, 2017.
  19. ^ a b Izri, Touria (February 2, 2020). "Push to redesign Manitoba flag to commemorate 150th anniversary". CTV News Winnipeg. Bell Media. Archived from the original on February 3, 2020. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  20. ^ a b "Time for a new Manitoba flag, say grassroots NDPers". CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. February 26, 2009. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
  21. ^ a b Hoye, Bryce (February 2, 2020). "Is Manitoba's 150th a chance to redo province's flag?". CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  22. ^ "Manitoba Flag Proposals". NAVA News (Issue #170). April–June 2001.
  23. ^ Lambert, Steve (January 23, 2017). "Manitoba Opposition looking to take the 'New' out of 'New Democratic Party'". CBC News. Canadian Press. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
  24. ^ Lee, Donna (April 19, 2016). "Brian Pallister's PCs win majority government in Manitoba". CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  25. ^ MacLean, Cameron (September 10, 2019). "Jubilant Pallister claims 2nd straight PC majority – albeit a smaller one". CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
  26. ^ Bernhardt, Darren (January 13, 2024). "Time to redesign Manitoba's flag? A new survey wants to know what you think". CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  27. ^ a b c d The Provincial Flag Act [Loi sur le drapeau provincial] (F130) (in English and French). Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. 1987.
  28. ^ "Manitoba's provincial symbols". Department of Canadian Heritage. Government of Canada. August 15, 2017. Archived from the original on December 28, 2019. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
  29. ^ "Province of Manitoba [Civil Institution]". Canadian Heraldic Authority. The Governor General of Canada. November 15, 2010. Archived from the original on December 29, 2019. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
  30. ^ a b "Supply of Environmentally Friendly National and European Union Flags" (PDF). Department of Contracts. Government of Malta. May 28, 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 29, 2019. Retrieved December 29, 2019. The red colour shall conform to reference Pantone 186C (in older specifications, specified as British Admiralty colour Code No. T1144).
  31. ^ a b "Pantone 186 C". Pantone LLC. Archived from the original on November 16, 2017. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
  32. ^ Vachon, Auguste (March 4, 2015). "Provincial and Territorial Emblems". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Archived from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  33. ^ "The Flags of HBC". HBC Heritage. Hudson's Bay Company. Archived from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  34. ^ "The ensign and the bison". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. March 2, 2009. Archived from the original on May 18, 2020. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  35. ^ Smith, Whitney (July 27, 2011). "Flag of Bermuda". Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  36. ^ "Protocol Office". Intergovernmental Affairs and International Relations. Government of Manitoba. Archived from the original on May 29, 2017. Retrieved May 29, 2017.
  37. ^ "Position of honour of the National Flag of Canada – With flags of the Canadian provinces and territories". Department of Canadian Heritage. Government of Canada. December 8, 2015. Archived from the original on March 15, 2017. Retrieved May 29, 2017.
  38. ^ "Manitoba Day". Sport, Culture and Heritage. Government of Manitoba. Archived from the original on May 29, 2017. Retrieved May 29, 2017.
  39. ^ Litchie, Darlene (May 25, 2015). "Manitoba Day was heartily celebrated". Winnipeg Free Press. Archived from the original on December 5, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2017.
  40. ^ "Did you know…?". Department of Canadian Heritage. Government of Canada. February 9, 2017. Archived from the original on March 31, 2017. Retrieved May 29, 2017.
  41. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions – Flags". Intergovernmental Affairs and International Relations. Government of Manitoba. Archived from the original on May 29, 2017. Retrieved May 29, 2017.
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