Okay, I am an aging (aged) Canadian who did not know until a few days ago that February 15 (tomorrow) is Flag Day in this country. The Wikipedia blurb describes the celebration:
National Flag of Canada Day, commonly shortened to Flag Day, is observed annually on February 15 to commemorate the inauguration of the flag of Canada on that date in 1965.
I'm old enough to remember the official unfurling of the flag we have come to love. I have a vague recollection of the kerfuffle around replacing the Red Ensign flag with its obvious connection to the British Empire as well as the opinion held by some that the new one it was simplistic and ugly.
Fifty years ago I kicked around England and France for a while and my backpack displayed this newer flag, less than a decade old at the time, sewn on for everyone to see. I'll admit that I always get emotional when the Maple Leaf is raised at the Olympics and our National Anthem plays. I went to Vimy Ridge in my 20s and fought back tears seeing the grim reminder that Canadians my age and younger died for freedom and while it was the Red Ensign then, it is the Maple Leaf now. I have looked across from the Golan Heights into Lebanon where Canadians were keeping the peace.
Peacekeepers Memorial
All this said, over time I've developed mixed feelings about this symbol of identity and patriotism. I a wary about the blurry line between patriotism and chauvinism, the latter being almost mindless allegiance to country and flag.
Earlier in my ministry no one questioned the presence of a flag or flags in church sanctuaries. Then we began to wonder why we did this when our deepest allegiance is to Jesus Christ. As Christians we became increasingly aware that the Canadian flag could be a symbol of oppression for the Original Peoples of the land we call Canada. Then the hideous "Freedom Convoy" commandeered the flag as a symbol of selfishness and intimidation and it sadly poisoned my response.
I am trying my best to work through all these realities because I am so grateful to have won the lottery of life having being born in Canada. I would say "blessed" although that might imply that others who live in less fortunate circumstances somehow don't deserve blessing. I have experienced such privilege as a result of my country of birth and I want the flag to represent a commitment as a citizen of Canada and as a follower of Jesus to a better world of peace and prosperity for all.
Five former Prime Ministers have invited all Canadians to get behind Flag Day this year as we are considering annexing California (same population, begins with "C", ends with an "a", eh?) as well as renaming the Gulf of Maine. We've already put up the conventional flag and another designed by an Indigenous artist to reflect his heritage. The True North Strong and Free!.
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