With our B.C. holiday long weekend here, we will be seeing more of our provincial flag.
It is an attractive flag with great meaning. The setting sun over the Pacific Ocean displays us as Canada's westernmost province.
I fully understand the Union Jack being there as part of our heritage. Even the Hawaiian state flag uses the Union Jack as part of its heritage. But I do question why we have a crown embedded upon the Union Jack. Why do we have two royal symbols? I suggest that we should replace the crown with our own maple leaf to identify B.C. as a full partner with the rest of Canada.
The crown that is now displayed on our provincial flag bears little resemblance to either the imperial state crown or the St. Edward's crown, which are English national symbols. The crown on the B.C. flag appears to be some sort of generic rendition and I doubt if it has any historical significance to Canada. Further, you will find generic crowns used in all manner of advertising as for example on Canada Dry ginger ale, Royal Rooters Plumbers, Rolex watches - and it was even plopped on the head of a fish for the Salmon Kings hockey team.
Knowing that a crown has less meaning today plus our stronger national feelings, I urge those persons in authority to consider substituting the "generic" crown for our Canadian maple leaf.
Lloyd Davies
Victoria
