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5 former prime ministers say fly the flag on Saturday to stand up to Trump
This weekend marks 60 years since red maple leaf was first raised on Parliament Hill
John Paul Tasker · CBC News · Posted: Feb 11, 2025 3:56 PM EST | Last Updated: 1 hour agoAll of the country's living former prime ministers are asking Canadians to fly the red maple leaf this weekend in a huge display of national pride as the country stares down U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to its economy and sovereignty.
Joe Clark, Kim Campbell, Jean Chrétien, Paul Martin and Stephen Harper have jointly written an open letter, telling Canadians to "show the flag as never before" as the country contends with "threats and insults from Donald Trump."
"Let's fly our flag with pride. Let's show the world that we are proud of our history and proud of our country," the former first ministers write.
"We've had our share of battles in the past. But we all agree on one thing: Canada, the true north, strong and free, the best country in the world, is worth celebrating and fighting for."
Saturday is Flag Day, which is held annually to mark the first time the red and white maple leaf flag was raised on Parliament Hill on Feb. 15, 1965, replacing the Canadian Red Ensign.
The five former prime ministers write they have "witnessed a surge of Canadian pride and patriotism" in the wake of Trump's threats and they are heartened to see so many people "come together to express their love for our country and their determination to defend Canada's values and our independence."
Former prime ministers Jean Chrétien, left, and Stephen Harper, right, are among the former leaders who signed the open letter. (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press)
Since his inauguration last month, Trump has repeatedly mocked Canada's economy and military and has threatened to use "economic force" to somehow convince Canadians to join the U.S. as the 51st state. Polls show Canadians are overwhelmingly against the idea.
Just last weekend, Trump said Canada was "not viable as a country" without U.S. trade, and warned that the founding NATO member can no longer depend on the U.S. for military protection.
After brokering a trade war pause with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last week, Trump announced Monday he is going ahead with punishing 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum in March.
Those actions have prompted an outpouring of national pride as many Canadians have opted to buy domestic products — there's a Made in Canada Facebook group with nearly 900,000 members — and some grocers are reporting shoppers are outright boycotting American goods to protest Trump. There's also been a decline in cross-border trips with U.S. wait times much shorter than usual at some ports of entry.
It's in that context that Clark, Campbell, Chrétien, Martin and Harper are asking Canadians to put the country's national symbols on display as a show of strength.
The Canadian Red Ensign was replaced as Canada's official flag in 1965 after much debate. (Dave Chidley/The Canadian Press)
Liberal leadership contender Mark Carney welcomed the "show of unity and leadership" in the wake of Trump's abuse.
"Canada is so much bigger than our politics," Carney said in a social media post.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is planning what he's calling a "Canada First" rally in Ottawa on Saturday and participants are encouraged to wear red and white in honour of the nation's flag.
In a letter of her own to Canadians, Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge said it's important "this year, more than ever" to celebrate the flag and "remind ourselves what it represents: our values, our resilience and our sovereignty."
St-Onge said there will be a special ceremony in Ottawa on Friday where officials and youth will unfurl the flag along the historic Rideau Canal.
"This national emblem represents the values we all cherish — generosity, openness, respect and equality. A flag that could not be mistaken for any other, it connects us to our national identity, to our Canadian pride and to each other," she said.
St-Onge also encouraged people to cheer for Team Canada at Saturday's much-anticipated Four Nations Face-Off hockey game. Flags will be on display as Canada, led by captain Sidney Crosby, plays the U.S. in Montreal.
Members of Parliament hold the new Canadian flag during the flag debate in Ottawa, the year before it was adopted. (Library and Archives Canada)
This year is a particularly important milestone — it's been 60 years since the maple leaf replaced the Red Ensign.
That old flag was dropped after a contentious debate.
Some Canadians, most notably former prime minister John Diefenbaker, wanted to keep the Red Ensign, which prominently featured the Union Jack, because it was a nod to Canada's British roots but also because troops fought and died under that flag in nation-defining conflicts.
Then-prime minister Lester Pearson, meanwhile, wanted a flag that was distinctly Canadian to assert the country's unity and independence in the sometimes tumultuous post-Second World War period, which was marked by an upswing in Quebecois separatism.
The maple leaf flag flies in front of the Peace Tower on Parliament hill in Ottawa on Feb. 15, 1965 — its first day flown at the seat of government. (Canadian Press)
Amid a fierce political standoff, a parliamentary committee ultimately settled on historian George Stanley's suggestion that the country go with a single maple leaf, a design inspired by the flag of the Royal Military College.
Parliament approved the change, after a fractious debate, and it was officially adopted when Queen Elizabeth issued a proclamation.
Opposition to the flag eventually faded away.
The government's own data shows most Canadians regard the flag as one of the most important symbols of the country second only to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms but ahead of the national anthem, hockey and the RCMP.
