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The Canadian flag, unlike many things from the 1960s, has lasted for decades without ever seeming outdated, campy or controversial. Indeed, after 50 years of flag peace, it is hard to imagine that Canada was once torn apart by the hunt for a new national banner.

It was during those heady days that Canadians were invited to submit their own flag suggestions to a multi-party flag committee. Thanks to the preservation work of the University of Saskatchewan Archives and Special Collections, the National Post presents some notable examples of these Could-Have-Been Canadian flags.

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The Maple-Spangled Banner

This design not only steals the American colour scheme of red, white and blue, but also the Americans’ penchant for using stars to denote the number of states or, in Canada’s case, provinces. According to an accompanying description, the flag “suggests growth (without expansion).”

The Not Trying Very Hard

The author of this particular flag did little more than stack the Quebec flag on top of the Union Jack and add in a trio of maple leaves to satisfy the “alien element.”