Friday, January 8, 2010

Did AY Jackson's 'The Red Maple' influence the creation of the Canadian Flag?



A River, some rocks and a small tree with red leaves. Did this painting, have a profound influence upon the selection of the Red Maple Leaf for the Canadian flag?

When the late Prime Minister Lester Pearson, sought public input into ideas for the flag which would represent our country, George Stanely, submitted a single maple leaf, drawn in red ink.

Stanley wrote that the single maple leaf, "suggests the idea of loyalty to a single country".

But the power of the brush is mighty and when AY Jackson set down his brush and signed his work off, did he create an iconic symbol which would influence the hand that drew the red ink maple leaf that became our flag?

Of course not?

click here to read George Stanely's obituary in the Ottawa Citizen.

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