Canadian Symbols

High yield

Pure memorization and therefore free points. Dates, sports, anthem, honours, holidays.

Guide pages 38–41

The Crown and the flag

The Crown has been a symbol of the state in Canada for 400 years.
Canada has been a constitutional monarchy in its own right since Confederation in 1867, during Queen Victoria's reign.
The Crown is a symbol of government, including Parliament, the legislatures, the courts, police services and the Canadian Forces.
A new Canadian flag was raised for the first time in 1965.
The red-white-red pattern comes from the flag of the Royal Military College, Kingston, founded in 1876.
Red and white have been the national colours of Canada since 1921, assigned by King George V.
The Union Jack is Canada's official Royal Flag.
The Canadian Red Ensign served as the Canadian flag for about 100 years.

The maple leaf is Canada's best-known symbol. Adopted by French Canadians in the 1700s, on uniforms and insignia since the 1850s, carved into the headstones of fallen soldiers.
The fleur-de-lys was adopted by the French king in the year 496 and was the symbol of French royalty for more than 1,000 years. Quebec adopted its own flag based on the Cross and the fleur-de-lys in 1948.
The beaver was adopted centuries ago as a symbol of the Hudson's Bay Company, and became an emblem of the St. Jean Baptiste Society in 1834.
The beaver appears on the five-cent coin and on the coats of arms of Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Canada adopted an official coat of arms and the national motto A mari usque ad mare — Latin for “from sea to sea” — after the First World War.
The arms contain symbols of England, France, Scotland and Ireland, as well as red maple leaves.
The Parliament Buildings were completed in the 1860s in Gothic Revival style.
The Centre Block was destroyed by an accidental fire in 1916 and rebuilt in 1922. The Library is the only part of the original building remaining.
The Peace Tower was completed in 1927 in memory of the First World War. The Memorial Chamber contains the Books of Remembrance.

Hockey is Canada's most popular spectator sport and the national winter sport. Ice hockey was developed in Canada in the 1800s.
The NHL plays for the Stanley Cup, donated by Lord Stanley, the Governor General, in 1892.
The Clarkson Cup, established in 2005 by Adrienne Clarkson, the 26th Governor General, is awarded for women's hockey.
Lacrosse, an ancient sport first played by Aboriginals, is the official summer sport.
Canadian football is the second most popular sport. CFL teams compete for the Grey Cup, donated by Lord Grey in 1909.
Curling was introduced by Scottish pioneers. Soccer has the most registered players of any game in Canada.

English and French are the two official languages and important symbols of identity.
Anglophones and Francophones have lived together for more than 300 years.
The Official Languages Act was passed in 1969. Its three objectives: establish equality between French and English in Parliament and the Government of Canada; maintain and develop official language minority communities; and promote equality of French and English in Canadian society.
O Canada was proclaimed the national anthem in 1980. It was first sung in Québec City in 1880.
French and English Canadians sing different words to the national anthem.
The Royal Anthem is “God Save the King (or Queen).”
Adult applicants 55 years of age or over are exempt from the language requirement.

Canada started its own honours system with the Order of Canada in 1967, the centennial of Confederation.
The Victoria Cross (V.C.) is the highest honour available to Canadians, awarded for the most conspicuous bravery in the presence of the enemy.
The V.C. has been awarded to 96 Canadians since 1854.
Alexander Roberts Dunn was the first Canadian awarded the V.C., at Balaclava in 1854.
William Hall of Nova Scotia was the first black man to be awarded the V.C.
Filip Konowal, born in Ukraine, was the first member of the Canadian Corps not born in the British Empire to receive it.
Robert Hampton Gray was the last Canadian to receive the V.C. to date, in August 1945.