Veteran at Ottawa raising of Canada’s Maple Leaf flag 60 years ago pens heartfelt letter to it

The morning of Feb. 16, 1965, will forever be etched in the memory of Canadian veteran Bruce Stock. The retired major from London, Ont., was in his mid-20s and on Parliament Hill that frigid day, serving as an aide-de-camp to the governor general at the time, Georges Vanier. He was among thousands of Canadians who witnessed the historic moment when the new Maple Leaf flag was hoisted, marking a new era of the country’s identity.

“It was so huge that it took a while for it to unfold, and I always remember that time when we were waiting and then finally this beautiful giant Maple Leaf appeared, and the whole crowd went crazy. I still get chills when I think about it,” Stock recalled to CBC News. “I was deeply moved because I realized it was my country’s new identity.”

To commemorate the flag’s 60th anniversary, Stock penned a heartfelt letter. In it, he detailed the moment the Maple Leaf was first unveiled to the public, the contention over the years leading up to it, and how the flag grew to become accepted as a national symbol.

Part of the three-page letter reads, “I remember having to hold my salute as you struggled to unfurl your Peace Tower size, attached to what seemed like a stunted 100-foot flagpole. And then your beautiful, giant Maple Leaf fully unfolded, to give us Canada’s new identity. The cheers on Parliament Hill that day were deafening.”

Stock, now 86, feels blessed to have been present on the day the Maple Leaf flag was born. He expressed his gratitude in the letter, stating, “You are now widely accepted as one of the most welcome symbols of democracy anywhere on the planet, and you are fully embraced by those at home and millions of newcomers.”

Flag Day in Canada holds renewed significance this year amidst U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated calls to annex Canada and turn it into the “51st state.” The decision to replace the Red Ensign with the current Canadian flag followed years of debate and division among Canadians. Former prime ministers John Diefenbaker and Lester Pearson were key figures in the push for a new flag that would assert Canada’s independence and unity.

Six decades later, there has been a surge in Canadian patriotism as flag shops across the country report increased sales of Canadian flags and other patriotic items. The Maple Leaf flag has become a powerful symbol of unity and pride for Canadians in the face of external threats and insults.

As Canada celebrates the 60th anniversary of its iconic flag, the Maple Leaf continues to stand as a powerful symbol of the country’s identity and unity. Bruce Stock’s letter serves as a reminder of the flag’s significance and the pride it instills in Canadians across the nation.