Canada’s now-familiar red-and-white triband flag and national identity is surprisingly young, just over 50 years old at this writing. (A proposed and fortunately rejected 1946 joint committee design is shown here.)
A CITYLAB article details its origins. “Designed by Alberta native, Rhodes scholar, and military veteran George Stanley, the new flag specifically avoided references to the British Union Jack and French fleur-de-lis in the name of national unity. Fittingly, Stanley’s 13-point maple leaf was modified by Jacques Saint-Cyr, a Quebec separatist and graphic artist, to an 11-point leaf for the final, adopted design.”
A documentary created by Vancouver-based graphic designer Greg Durrell details the history behind Canada’s search for—and subsequent growth into—its own identity. More details can be found at: https://www.citylab.com/design/2018/11/design-canada-documentary-greg-durrell/574717/.