 Chapter 5 Lester Pearson did not create the flag problem. He inherited it. There had been a longstanding party interest in the matter before Pearson became identified with the Liberal party. Pearson, an intellectual, was also a man of action—athlete, soldier, tough diplomatic negotiator, politician, a man with an appetite for combat and a capacity for decision. His debonair, almost youthful charm disguised his obstinacy and his toughness. Having served as soldier, civil servant, and Privy Councillor, he was a worthy antagonist for any professional patriot who cared to try comparisons with him. Mackenzie King, often criticized by his political adversaries because he had, as they said, evaded military service in World War I, felt sensitive throughout his life to the charge that he had not done his duty. No such charge could be levelled against Mike Pearson, who had enlisted for service overseas at the age of seventeen and whose seven ribbons attested to his varied contributions to his country. He felt secure in himself and in his past, and unlike Mackenzie King, Pearson could go into the flag fight unafraid. Despite the fact that he led a party lacking an overall majority, Lester Pearson engaged in a "no holds barred" contest with John Diefenbaker and emerged successfully with complete mastery and command of the House of Commons. Pearson knew what this old flag quarrel was about and what its significance was to Canadian nationhood. From his office as leader of the opposition, he issued a press release on 27 January 1960 in which he summarized the problem and presented his suggestion as to its solution: . . . In my television talk on "The Nation's Business" series on January 21 on a national flag for Canada, I was concerned with the desirability of the Canadian Government taking full responsibility as soon as possible for finding a solution to the flag problem, by submitting to Parliament a measure which, if accepted by the representatives of the people in Parliament, would, I hope, settle the problem. He continued: The present Red Ensign has never been given formal sanction by Parliament. Furthermore (I know this from my own correspondence) it is not approved by a great many Canadians as a national flag, because in design it is the same as the United Kingdom Merchant Marine flag, with the Canadian Coat of Arms added. . . . The Union Jack, a flag which every Canadian should honour and respect is not, however, acceptable to many Canadians as a distinctive national flag of Canada because it is also the distinctive national flag of the United Kingdom. . . . There is an unfortunate division of opinion on this country on the flag question. The time has come, I think, when this situation should be cleared up by governmental ini- tiative and parliamentary action. In thus bringing the flag issue to the forefront, Pearson was suggesting that the Conservatives do something about it. At that time, John Diefenbaker controlled 208 seats in the Commons, the greatest majority known in the history of Canadian Parliaments, and it would have been an easy matter for him to have sought expert advice and to have provided Canada with a distinctive flag. Pearson was offering his cooperation and suggesting that the flag should be an allparty effort, that it should make for unity rather than division. In his press release Pearson went on to say: I would certainly oppose any action or any proposal which would cast any reflection on the Union Jack, which has had, and I am sure always will have a special and honoured significance for all Canadians; and will stand for important things in our history and our traditions. Indeed, whatever action Parliament might take in regard to a Canadian flag, I believe that the Union Jack should be accepted by Canada as an emblem to be flown on all occasions which are concerned with our Commonwealth Association and our status as a monarchy with the Queen as the head of that Commonwealth. In this assessment of the problem and unambiguous suggestion for its solution, a suggestion consistent with loyalty to sovereign and the Commonwealth of Nations, Pearson had hoped that the prime minister himself would seize the initiative and give Canada her flag without political controversy. One may speculate how history would have been altered had this hope been realized.
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