February 15 is National Flag of Canada Day (Jour du drapeau national du Canada). The day commemorates the inauguration of the Flag of Canada. On February 15, 1965 our national flag was raised for the first time on Parliament Hill, making 2016 its 51st birthday.
“The flag is the symbol of the nation’s unity, for it, beyond any doubt, represents all the citizens of Canada without distinction of race, language, belief or opinion,” declared the Speaker of the Senate in 1965.
Today the Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, issued the following statement to mark the day:
“Today, I join Canadians at home and abroad in celebrating the 51st anniversary of our national flag.
“The Maple Leaf is a powerful symbol that unites Canadians across the country and around the world. It has been worn by our astronauts in space, by the brave women and men of the Canadian Armed Forces, and thousands of backpackers around the globe. Our flag has been planted on Mount Everest, raised over Olympic podiums, and proudly flown at our embassies.
“No matter where the Maple Leaf flies, our flag represents the values that our country holds most dear: peace, freedom, respect, compassion, and diversity. As Canada moves towards a greater leadership role in the world, I am confident that our flag will remain synonymous with these cherished Canadian values.
“On this important day, I invite all Canadians to take part in Canadian Heritage’s ‘Share your Moment with the Flag’ Challenge, to celebrate our national flag and what it stands for.”
The Prime Minister also took to Twitter:
Happy Flag Day! No matter where the Maple Leaf flies, it represents Canada's most cherished values. #CanadianFlag pic.twitter.com/VJNa2Z9qF3
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) February 15, 2016
As did many others:
Today is National Flag of Canada Day! Use #CanadianFlag to share your moment with the flag. https://t.co/vootnblZh9 pic.twitter.com/gGHc3VZcum
— Canadian Forces (@CanadianForces) February 15, 2016
Happy National Flag of Canada Day 🇨🇦
Here's some #Canucks flare added. pic.twitter.com/GZfr409k0B
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) February 15, 2016
Happy National Flag of Canada Day! Our #CanadianFlag went to space many times! Here it is with @Cmdr_Hadfield! pic.twitter.com/RCPHgakwlN
— CanadianSpaceAgency (@csa_asc) February 15, 2016
Our national flag was inaugurated on Feb. 15, 1965. Have a look at our first Cdn flag stamp beside our most recent: pic.twitter.com/q5hiDWluzj
— Canada Post (@canadapostcorp) February 15, 2016
Celebrating #IslanderDay and #CanadianFlag Day with a few special friends @GreenGables and #PEINationalPark! pic.twitter.com/4lefN4IV5l
— Parks Canada PEI (@ParksCanadaPEI) February 15, 2016