THE MAPLE LEAF and a few other Canadian facts
In the early 1700s, the maple leaf had been adopted as an emblem by French Canadians along the Saint Lawrence River. It slowly caught on as the national symbol of Canada by 1868, and was added to the Canadian coat of arms in 1921. The image chosen for the Canadian flag is a generic maple leaf representing the ten species of maple trees native to Canada—at least one of these species grows natively in every province. WHAT ELSE HAS BECOME A SYMBOL OF CANADA? The INUKSUK (INUKSHUK) It is a figure made of piled stones or boulders constructed to communicate with humans throughout the Arctic. Traditionally constructed by the Inuit, they are integral to their culture and are often intertwined with representations of Canada and the North. Besides their origin in the Artic, all of Canada embraces the symbol. Practical functions included guides for hunting and navigational aids, coordination points and message centers. The Inuksuk has taken on symbolic meanings of...