On Canada’s flag

July 2, 2008 D. H. McKee

Off

We came that close to putting a beaver on the flag, people (pinches fingers together).
Choosing Canada’s Flag – The Archivist – Publications – Library and Archives Canada

On December 15, 1964, after a prolonged and bitter debate lasting thirty-three days, the House of Commons passed an act providing a national flag for Canada. The design chosen was based on the flag of the Royal Military College in Kingston.
Although debate over a distinctive Canadian flag lasted for nearly a century, there was renewed controversy during the election campaign of 1963, when Liberal leader Lester B. Pearson promised that Canada would have a flag of her own within two years. Once in power, Prime Minister Pearson promoted a design by an Ottawa heraldic expert, Alan Beddoe. This design, with three maple leaves on a white field and a vertical blue bar on each end, soon became known as “Pearson’s Pennant.”
By contrast, the Leader of the Opposition, John Diefenbaker, favoured the Red Ensign, the flag of the British merchant marine, which had flown on Canadian vessels since 1892. Furthermore, in 1945, it had officially replaced the Union Jack as Canada’s flag on land until such time as the Canadian Parliament chose a new one.

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About This Site

As a guy who occasionally curates art shows and wrangles artists together, I often have to edit and post artist bios, profile pictures, and artwork images. This can be a problem, since many artists and writers aren’t used to selling themselves. Artists rarely know how to present their art for display in a brochure, and writers aren’t used to writing about themselves.

Writers often treat the bio like it’s an interview or something. Maybe like they’re having a conversation with you, the reader. While it may work sometimes, the most common way to write a bio is to write in the 3rd person.

I’m like those writers, and I’m talking to you directly, unlike the common way to do a bio. You should see my About page. It makes sense to me, since this is a bit which describes my blog’s website. When I get famous enough that I don’t have time to talk to you, I’ll have an intern write everything in 3rd person. Until then, you get to talk to me.

Like blogs of old, this one is a personal document of the comings and goings of me. Articles I’ve written, links I’ve posted, videos I liked, etc. Here, a first-person perspective is the way to go, at least for now. So, this is my site. I’m D. H. McKee, a sometimes artist, sometimes writer. Mostly just a guy on the internet.