Happy Manitoba Day!
Province of Manitoba
Today's Flag
is the provincial flag of Manitoba. It received Royal Assent in October 1965, and was officially proclaimed on 12 May 1966 to preserve the heritage of the Canadian Red Ensign that many Manitobans felt was lost after adoption of the Maple Leaf Flag by the Parliament of Canada. It is a red ensign defaced with the shield of Manitoba, granted by Royal Warrant of King Edward VII on 10 May 1905. The Bison represents a primary source of food and clothing for the Aboriginal peoples of Manitoba, while the cross of St-George is symbolic of England and the Crown, and recalls the prominent element of the Hudson's Bay Company arms, the original governors of Rupert's Land from which Manitoba was established. While some criticize the presence of "colonial" elements of the flag, it resulted from significant resistance to the new national flag in 1965. Provincial authorities at the time wished to encourage design of a unique provincial symbol but popular opinion demanded adoption of the Canadian Red Ensign as provincial flag. The Red Ensign was finally adopted bearing the Manitoba shield in a compromise that was widely accepted. Movements in recent years to move away from colonial symbols and create an more inclusive provincial flag have so far failed to gain widespread traction. Click here to read more about the Official Symbols of Manitoba.
Manitoba Day
Manitoba Day is celebrated every year on 12 May to celebrate the creation of fifth province to join Confederation, recalling the Manitoba Act of the Parliament of Canada that received Royal Assent on this day in 1870. While not commonly appreciated in Manitoba, this official anniversary is growing into an annual event that began to gather momentum following the Centennial celebrations of 1970. The name Manitoba preserves terms from languages spoken by the Aboriginal people who made the Prairies their home. One possible interpretation refers to the loud sound of the crashing waves of Lake Manitoba that were said to be from Manitou, the Great Spirit and described in Ojibwa as Manito-bau. This word was first originated as the name of a provisional municipal government set up in Portage la Prairie by Thomas Spence. Eventually transformed into the famous movement for self-government, and other names proposed included Assiniboia. The name applied to the Red River region by Lord Selkirk however was not considered popular, and Louis Riel recommended that either North-West or Manitoba should be the name of the new province, with Sir John A. MacDonald finally selecting Manitoba because of its association with the original inhabitants.
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