Canadian flags are seen flying behind the National Archives building in Ottawa in February 2025 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Flag politics in Canada and New Zealand resulted in drastically different outcomes

Both Canada and New Zealand experienced a post-Second World War reassessment of their ties to colonialism, evident in the Union Jack occupying the upper left quadrant of each nation’s flag.
Members of the public skating on the Rideau Canal pass youth holding a giant Canadian flag as part of launch celebrations for the 60th anniversary of the Canadian flag in February 2025 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Symbols take centre stage in debates about Canadian nationalism

Arguments over Canada’s national symbols, from a new flag in the 1960s to new passports two years ago, reveal how deeply some Canadians are attached to them and how they can shape nationalism.

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