National Colours

History records that in the First Crusade Bohemund I, a Norman lord, had red crosses cut from his mantles and distributed to the 12,000 crusaders, who wore them as a distinctive badge on their garments.

In subsequent crusades, each nation was distinguished by a cross of a different colour. France long had a red cross on its banners while England used a white cross. Time and again in history red and white are found as the colours of France or of England.

Red and white were approved as Canada's official colours in the proclamation of her coat of arms in 1921.

In 1957, the colour of the maple leaves on the shield of the Royal Arms of Canada was changed from green on a white ground to red on a white ground in recognition of Canada's official colours.