Great Canadian flag debate

The Great Canadian flag debate (or Great Flag Debate) was a national debate that took place in 1963 and 1964 when a new design for the national flag of Canada was chosen. Although the flag debate had been ongoing for a long time prior, it officially began on June 15, 1964, when Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson proposed his plans for a new flag in the House of Commons. The debate lasted more than six months, and bitterly divided politicians and the general public over the design of a new Canadian flag. The debate over the proposed new Canadian flag was ended by closure on December 15, 1964.