Veteran at Ottawa raising of Canada's Maple Leaf flag 60 years ago pens heartfelt letter to it
Bruce Stock of London, Ont., says the flag is a symbol of unity in uncertain times
The morning of Feb. 16, 1965, will always remain etched in Canadian veteran Bruce Stock's memory.
The retired major from London, Ont., was in his mid-20s and on Parliament Hill that frigid day, serving as an aide-de-camp to the governor general at the time, Georges Vanier. He was among thousands of Canadians who witnessed the new Maple Leaf flag being hoisted, marking a new era of the country's identity.
"It was so huge that it took a while for it to unfold and [I] always remember that time when we were waiting and then finally this beautiful giant Maple Leaf appeared, and the whole crowd went crazy. I still get chills when I think about it," Stock recalled to CBC News.
"I was deeply moved because I realized it was my country's new identity."
You are now widely accepted as one of the most welcome symbols of democracy anywhere on the planet, and you are fully embraced by those at home and millions of newcomers.- Part of Canadian war veteran Bruce Stock's letter to the Maple Leaf flag
To commemorate the flag's 60th anniversary, Stock wrote it a heartfelt letter. In it, he details the moment the Maple Leaf was first unveiled to the public, the contention over the years leading up to it and how the flag grew to become accepted as a national symbol.
Part of the three-page letter, which you'll see Stock read in full in the video above, says, "I remember having to hold my salute as you struggled to unfurl your Peace Tower size, attached to what seemed like a stunted 100-foot flagpole. And then your beautiful, giant Maple Leaf fully unfolded, to give us Canada's new identity. The cheers on Parliament Hill that day were deafening.
"Yet, some people still worried your design was problematic. It was as if they could not leave well enough alone, and had to fabricate objections to your appearance and how we would be perceived not only at home, but around the world. Fast forward to today and those non-believers have long been silenced.
"You are now widely accepted as one of the most welcome symbols of democracy anywhere on the planet, and you are fully embraced by those at home and millions of newcomers," the letter also says.
Stock, 86, told CBC News he feels blessed to have "the incredible good fortune of being there the day our flag was born."
"We'd gone through some very serious debates right across the country about the suitability of replacing our flag of the day, which was the Red Ensign, with a new flag. And of course, the veterans were against it because they'd lost too many of their buds under the Ensign."
The Red Ensign, which prominently featured the Union Jack, was replaced by the Canadian flag as we know it today, following years of friction among some Canadians who wanted to keep the original flag as a nod to Canada's British roots.
Former prime minister John Diefenbaker and others wanted a new flag to assert the country's independence. Diefenbaker argued that troops fought and died under the Ensign in international conflicts.
However, the prime minister back then, Lester Pearson, wanted a flag that was distinctly Canadian and would showcase the nation's unity in tumultuous times, marked by a rise in Quebeçois separatism.
Stock remembers Pearson being booed twice while speaking at the Legion's national convention in Winnipeg in 1964, when he was explaining the need for a new flag. Although Stock wasn't opposed to the Maple Leaf, he was curious how it would symbolically replace the Ensign, he said.
"It was very emotional for all the right reasons, but when the Queen [Elizabeth II] made her decision and gave the single Maple Leaf with two red borders the Royal Assent, everybody knew the debate was now over and we had a new identity to welcome and embrace."
Renewed Canadian pride
Six decades later, there's been a surge in Canadian patriotism as flag shops across the country report a spike in sales from people buying the flags and other items to display their True North pride. Others are enthusiastically singing O Canada at sporting events.
It follows U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to make Canada the 51st American state, on top of the 25 per cent levies Trump plans to impose on steel and aluminum imports from Canada and other countries as well as the economy-wide tariffs he's paused until March 12.
Five of Canada's former prime ministers have also penned a letter urging Canadians to "show the flag as never before" as the country contends with "threats and insults from Donald Trump."
Ray Grabo from the Flag Shop in London, Ont., said he's had the busiest week of sales in a long time, adding it's heartwarming to see the pride as many of his customers bought flags for the first time.
"It's not just flags — it's other identifying things for travellers and people wanting to avoid being taken for Americans," he said. "We have pins that have a Canada flag. They're very popular and we've sold thousands of little tiny candle lapel pins since last week as well."
Julia Izadi and her team at Flying Colours International in Port Coquitlam, B.C., have received soaring amounts of orders for Canadian flags. She said it's an honour to supply them and be part of this prideful movement.
"Our phones are absolutely ringing off the hook — we haven't stopped. We're all kind of running around. We've got customers in the store, so it's been crazy, but obviously we're happy to see it," said Izadi, the company's lead sales representative.
Stock said there's no symbol of unity more obvious than the Maple Leaf flag.
"The flag belongs to every Canadian, and by embracing it and remembering it as a beautiful and powerful symbol of our identity, it's going to help us stand strong and true."
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With files from CBC's Alessio Donnini, J.P. Tasker and Martin Diotte