Royal Union Flag
Today's Flag
is the Royal Union flag. It is one of the two official flags of Canada, adopted in Parliament by Special Committee Report No. 7 in 1965, symbolizing both Canada's allegiance to the crown as well as membership in the Commonwealth. In addition to Victoria Day, there are two other official days when the Royal Union flag may be flown from federal government buildings: the Anniversary of the 1931 Statute of Westminster (11 December) and Commonwealth Day (2nd Monday in March.) Provincially, a holiday for celebrating Victoria Day is only provided in each of the Territories and in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba and Ontario. In Quebec, 24 May is celebrated as Journée nationale des Patriotes, set to coincide with the federal holiday and known between 1920 and 2003 as Fête de Dollard.
Victoria Day
An ancient ceremonial parade called "Trooping the Colour" is a military spectacle with origins that reach back through the mists of time to the era of the Roman legions. Performed somewhat sporadically from the time of King Charles II (1660-1685), it was decided during the reign of King George II that the parade would officially mark the King's birthday in June 1748, although George II was born in November.
Since that time, the official date of the sovereign's birthday celebrations has varied, with most favouring June weather. In time of Queen Victoria (1819-1901) the government in Canada had evolved from the colonies of Upper and Lower Canada to the Province of Canada. In 1845, the Province set aside the 24th of May (Queen Victoria's actual birthday) as a public holiday, which would be celebrated annually for over 60 years, continuing after Confederation by the Parliament of Canada.
On accession in 1902, King Edward VII (9 Nov) decided to retain the 24 May date. The next successive sovereigns, King George V (3 June) and King Edward VIII (23 June) had their Canadian observances moved according to their natural birth dates. King George VI (14 Dec) kept his official birthday in Canada in early June. While Queen Elizabeth II (21 April) had her first Canadian birthday celebrated on 9 June 1952, it was subsequently permanently moved to 24 May - although still widely known as "Victoria Day."
During the period 1910-1953, Empire Day, a holiday originating in 1902 in New Zealand, was celebrated on 24 May in Canada. Empire Day eventually fell out of favour, eventually being renamed "Commonwealth Day" in 1958. To reflect the evolving and wider diversity of the Commonwealth, its Secretariat was charged in 1975 with selecting another day without any historical connotations that could be used to celebrate throughout the entire Commonwealth. Eventually the 2nd Monday of March was chosen as a date when the most schools would still be in session, which enables many millions of young students to learn about and participate in Commonwealth events.
In the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and most other Commonwealth countries, the Sovereign's birthday has been celebrated on the 2nd Saturday in June for decades. This will most likely continue, since King Charles III's actual birthday is 14 November. Victoria Day is a celebration not found anywhere else in the Commonwealth - making it a uniquely Canadian commemoration. It is likely to take some time to become associated in the public mind with King Charles III, as government authorities have been very slow to change royal images - images of Queen Elizabeth II remain prevalent on our currency, coinage and official portraiture.
Queen Victoria is widely known as the "Mother of Confederation" and was very supportive of and involved in the creation of Canada - she personally selected the location of our capital city Ottawa in 1857. She passed away on 22 January 1901 on the Isle of Wight at the age of 81. Reigning almost 64 years through a period of intense industrial expansion and the rise of the worldwide British Empire to its pinnacle, Queen Victoria oversaw intense evolutionary social and political change that put many nations including Canada, on the path to self-determination. She rests beside her beloved husband Prince Albert, in the Royal Mausoleum at Frogmore, which is inscribed with her words:
"Farewell best beloved, here at last I shall rest with thee, with thee in Christ I shall rise again."
Monarchist League of Canada