Use | Civil and state flag |
---|---|
Proportion | 1:2 |
Adopted | May 11, 1965 (first flown on May 12, 1966) |
Design | A Red Ensign with the shield of the coat of arms of Manitoba in the field |
Canadian Heraldic Authority Design | |
Proportion | 1:2 |
Design | A Red Ensign with a modified shield of the coat of arms of Manitoba in the field |
The flag of Manitoba consists of a Red Ensign defaced with the shield of the provincial coat of arms. Adopted in 1965 shortly after the new national flag was inaugurated, it has been the flag of the province since May 12 of the following year. Its adoption was intended to maintain the legacy of the Canadian Red Ensign as the country's unofficial flag, after the adoption of the Maple Leaf Flag in 1965. Manitoba's flag has been frequently mistaken for the flag of the neighbouring province of Ontario, which is also a Red Ensign with its respective coat of arms. This, along with criticisms of a lack of inclusivity of the flag, has led some Manitobans to call for a new and more distinct flag.[1]