The Suez Crisis is often credited with helping to shape Canada’s identity as a peacekeeper on the world stage. But did you know that it also contributed to the creation of the Canadian flag? Let’s look at how this conflict influenced the creation of this quintessential Canadian symbol.
A brief history of the Suez Crisis
To understand the Suez crisis, it is first necessary to look at the Suez Canal. Located in Egypt, the Suez Canal was built in 1869 to provide a direct route for ships between the Mediterranean and the Red Seas. The Suez Canal Company, which was run jointly by Britain and France, operated the canal. In 1956, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser seized and nationalized the Suez Canal Company to help pay for the construction of the Aswan High Dam (this was in response to the decision by the United States and Britain not to help Egypt finance the dam as originally promised). Although Egypt compensated the stakeholders of the Suez Canal Company, Britain and France became increasingly concerned that Nasser would close the canal to shipments of oil supplying Western Europe. It is also important to note that all of this was happening during the cold war and the Egypt’s ties to the Soviet Union also increased tensions globally. In October 1956, Britain, France and their ally Isreal attacked the canal zone.
Lester B. Pearson, who led Canada’s delegation to the United Nations, spearheaded a plan for a UN “Peace and Police Force” to help reduce tensions in the region. The plan passed unanimously on November 4th and a ceasefire occurred two days later. Soon after, the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF), led by Canadian General Eedson Burns, arrived in Egypt. UNEF supervised the withdrawal of British, Israeli and French troops and later act help keep peace along the Egyptian-Israel Border. Pearson would later receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his contributions during the Suez Crisis.
The Red Ensign
Members of UNEF wore the military uniforms of their individual countries. For Canadians this posed a challenge. At the time, Canada’s flag was the Red Ensign, which closely resembled the Union Jack of Britain. Their uniforms, which included the flag, also closely resembled British uniforms. Some regiments, like The Queen’s Own Rifles, who were supposed to help in the mission, even had names closely associated with Britain. Egyptian officials felt that Canadians would be easily misidentified as British soldiers by the public and opposed their involvement in the country. As a compromise, Canada did not send The Queen’s Own Rifles but sent other military personnel to be used for reconnaissance, administrative, and support roles instead.
The Blue Helmet
As a way to distinguish themselves from British troops, Canadians involved in UNEF painted their helmets blue to match the flag of the UN. They were also eventually issued military caps dyed blue. This subsequently led to the creation of the UN blue beret. Since then, the blue beret has become an international symbol of peacekeeping and has been proudly linked to Canada’s peacekeeping Identity.
Image: Canadians wearing the UN Blue Beret during a peacekeeping mission in Congo. As the images predates 1965, the military plane still has the Red Ensign on its tail (Canada. Department of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada / ecopy).
The flag problem
For Pearson, the issue surrounding the Red Ensign during the UNEF mission helped demonstrate the need for Canada to have its own identity apart from that of Britain. By 1960, Pearson, who was then Leader of The Official Opposition, began pushing for the government to fix “the Flag Problem” and even made it a campaign promise to change the flag. Three years later, when he became Prime Minister, the government started this process.
“The red ensign has served Canada honourably and well since it was designated for such service by order in council; but those who are in favour of retaining it and making it permanent and official by parliamentary action must surely realize that basically—this is certainly no disrespect to the red ensign—it is the flag of the British merchant marine and that it is similar except for a different coat of arms, to the flags of certain British colonies.”
–Lester Pearson speaking in the House of commons on June 15, 1964
Designing a symbol as important as the country’s flag, however, does not come without disagreement. Many, including John Defenbaker (Canada’s former Prime Minister and then Leader of the Official Opposition) believed that the flag should pay homage to Canada’s British and French history by including the Union Jack and the Fleur-de-lis. Others felt hat the flag should be uniquely Canadian. Pearson believed that this should include three maple leaves. Another promising design was created by George Stanley, who was the Dean of Arts at the Royal Military College. Based on the Royal Military College’s flag, the Stanley flag design featured a single red maple leaf with red borders.
Ultimately, after intense debate, the Stanley flag was adopted and officially flown on February 15, 1965. In the end, Pearson got his wish: a flag that was distinctly Canadian and showed Canada as an independent Country on the world stage.
Article written by Anthony Badame for Honouring Bravery.
Sources
Diefenbaker on a new flag, 1964
Help Not Wanted in Egypt [CBC footage]
National Flag of Canada, Canadian Encyclopedia
Pearson’s solution to the Suez crisis [CBC radio archive]