February 15th, 1965
Happy fiftieth anniversary to the Canadian flag.

Headline: It’s the maple leaf forever as the union gets jack squat.

Yes folks it is National Flag Day in Canada. Fifty years ago the maple leaf on white background with 2 red bands on either side became Canada’s national standard. It replaced the Red Ensign which had the Union Jack on it, thus symbolizing more autonomy from Mother England. Though a former colony in the British Empire, Canada still considers the Queen of England its official head of state. Elizabeth the Second is all over our money.

Further to asserting our independence, and more to the point distinguishing ourselves from Americans, many a Canadian traveller has been spotted with a Canadian flag sewn on their backpack, stuck to their luggage and pinned on their persons. Besides identifying our nationality it is also symbolic. Like waving a white flag (with some red and a maple leaf on it) we announce to the world that “we come in peace.” (Let’s just hope the current and future governments of the country don’t ruin our good name!)

Here’s a brief WWT treatment of Canada

Fitness
national sports:
winter – hockey (curling is popular too)
summer – lacrosse

Fragrance
spruce, fir, pine, peppermint essential oils

Food
maple syrup, fiddleheads (ferns), lentils, mustard, wheat, wild blueberries

Sights to see
natural wonders: mountains, beaches, icebergs, hoodoos, glaciers, waterfalls, forests
cultural: la belle province of Québec; numerous Indigenous tribes throughout the land; the Maritimes; annual cultural festivals (Caribana); a vast and varied land that lends itself to solitude
activities: outdoor/physical (e.g. hiking, skiing, surfing); museums (e.g. Canadian Museum of Human Rights, the ROM, Glenbow); city life (restaurants, bars, clubs); wildlife spotting (polar bear expeditions in Churchill Manitoba); sporting events (experience Montréal Canadiens hockey in the Bell Centre)
For more details, start with the Canadian Tourism Commission

Chocolate
Chocolate Fest in New Brunswick; Bernard Callebaut’s shop, Papa Chocolat, in Calgary
For a more comprehensive list, see The World Chocolate Guide – Canada