Canadian Red Ensign 1876
Blazon
Canadian Red Ensign 1876: Gules in the canton the Royal Union Flag, in the fly the shield of Arms used by the Dominion of Canada;
Symbolism
The Canadian Red Ensign is a flag that was authorized in 1892 to be flown on Canadian vessels. Originally, it contained a shield of the arms of the four provinces that formed Canada in 1867. Even before 1892, versions of this flag were used that had the shield augmented by quarters representing new provinces once they had joined Confederation. Following the proclamation of the Arms of Canada, an official version of the Red Ensign with the new shield was introduced in 1922, and this flag was used until the adoption of the National Flag of Canada in 1965.