The Maple Leaf Forever

This post is a belated celebration of Canada Day (which was, ahem... a couple of weeks ago now!). Canada is quite a patriotic country, so I thought it would be interesting to take a look at the most prominent symbol of Canadian identity: the maple leaf.

In some ways, the maple leaf is a strange image to adopt, considering that the vast majority of maple trees are only found in the east of the country. That being said, maple trees have played a significant role in Canada's economic development. Canada is the world's largest producer of maple syrup, exporting $145 million of it annually. The timber trade also provided employment to many Canadians throughout the 1800s, which explains how the lumberjack came to be such a popular cultural icon.

The current national flag of Canada was adopted in 1965, replacing the previous version which featured a union jack and shield on a red background. It turned out to be a wise design choice, as today the stylized red maple leaf is instantly recognizable as a symbol of Canada. I've heard many stories of travelers (both Canadian and otherwise) who sew maple leaf patches onto their backpacks to ensure a friendly reception overseas. This iconic flag immediately communicates "I am Canadian" (and therefore, most likely a nice person) but perhaps even more importantly, it says "I am not an American".

The maple leaf is also used liberally in Canadian logos by companies hoping to capitalize on the national pride of their consumers. I suppose the equivalent symbols in Australia are the kangaroo (Qantas), the map of Australia (TipTop bread) or the southern cross (tattooed across the shoulderblades of bogans everywhere). The maple leaf certainly has the monopoly when it comes to national symbolism in Canada. And once you start looking, you begin notice it EVERYWHERE. I saw at least half a dozen walking 2 blocks today. The maple leaf is even added to American logos (e.g. McDonald's, Wendy's, Sears) to distinctly brand them as Canadian versions of the company.

With that, I wish you a very happy (belated) Canada Day!