The Pearson Centre for Progressive Policy

Progressive Dialogue and Policy for a Better Canada

Canada’s Flag Represents a Place that is Open, Welcoming and Tolerant

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February 15, 2017

Canada’s Flag Represents a Place that is Open, Welcoming and Tolerant

By Roy Sengupta

As a Canadian living in America, the flag of Canada has taken on a new meaning for me, being away from home. As America gradually becomes more closed and xenophobic, Canada’s flag has come to symbolize, the idea of a place that is open, welcoming, and tolerant. Unlike the flags of many other countries, Canada’s flag does not represent any imposition of history or politics upon the people it represents. Canada’s flag, centred as it is on the Maple Leaf, is centred around something that all people in Canada share, Canada’s climate and natural beauty. This is something that every Canadian is a part of, no matter where they were born, what language they speak, or what things they believe in. Canada’s flag symbolizes the idea that everyone is included in Canada, simply by being Canadian, you share a connection with other Canadians that transcends who you are.

JD Candidate, Harvard Law School
Massachusetts, United States