AHC: Canada keeps the Red Ensign

[IndefatigableRN]

New Zealand and Australia have kept their ensigns, although there have been moves to change. Canada brought in the new flag in 1965.

How could Canada keep a Red Ensign as its flag? It doesn't have to be the exact Red Ensign from 1965, just a Red Ensign.

Maybe Mackenzie King gets his design through in 1946?

Or Pearson holds a referendum and it fails? (He chose to send it to committee. Diefenbaker wanted a referendum, presumably because he felt the populace would choose the status quo).

[pieman3141]

Canada's relationship with Britain would have to change. Right now, Britain is culturally considered to be a completely foreign nation that speaks a ver similar language as we do. Theoretically, though, we might share the same person as queen, and we're both in this "Commonwealth" thing that doesn't really affect us other than the Commonwealth Games. And yeah, our anti-monarchist group is damn small and fairly quiet, but that's because our relationship is already quite far apart, and has been for a very long time. Our English differs from British English even more than NZ/Aus English.

Also, we've got the US right on our border, with whom we have a very tight relationship with. So, that would all have to change. An optimal POD would have to be in the 1920s. Or, no proposal is ever put forward and no one gives a crap (quite likely).

[The Kiat]

Originally Posted by pieman3141

Also, we've got the US right on our border, with whom we have a very tight relationship with.

That's what happens when you are our neighbors. "I'm sorry Canada, but we are your mother country now." I don't think an independend Quebec would be quite as impacted, though mostly because of linguistic barriers.

[jkarr]

just have king ignore the legislative assembly of quebec and put the flag through

[RogueBeaver]

King gets his design through in '46. IOTL in '65 even a majority of Tory MPs supported the idea once Diefenbaker started to channel his inner Ditcher. Rural Ontario and parts of Atlantic Canada would support the Ensign in a referendum, Quebec would vote for the Leaf as an anti-Ensign rather than pro-Maple Leaf statement (as PET said at the time). But if you look at the 1965 election results where the Tories were whittled down to almost purely rural Canada and small urban outposts... that's 32% of voters. Apart from that hard core who will vote for the Ensign?