Flag of Northwest Territories
Encyclopedia
The current flag of the Northwest Territories, Canada
, was adopted in 1969 by the Legislative Assembly of Northwest Territories
.
Historically there have been four flags used in the territory since it joined confederation.
The original flag of the Hudson's Bay Company
served as the territorial flag from the moment Rupert's Land
and the North-Western Territory
was purchased by Canada
in 1869 until it was replaced in 1950.
A new flag was selected in 1959, the flag kept the British union jack in the canton and background colour of the 1950 version, but a new coat of arms was placed in the white circle. This flag would serve the territories until 1969.
The Northwest Territories’ fourth flag was chosen by a special committee of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories in 1969. The committee reviewed entries from a Canada wide contest. The winner of the contest was Robert Bessant
from Margaret, Manitoba
.
The flag carried over the coat of arms from the old flag, this time making it featured in the center, and dropped the union jack.
The flag features a blue field on which is a Canadian pale
(a white stripe taking up half the width of the flag), with at the center, the shield from the coat of arms of the Northwest Territories. The blue represents the abundant Northwest Territories waters, whereas the white represents snow and ice.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, was adopted in 1969 by the Legislative Assembly of Northwest Territories
Legislative Assembly of Northwest Territories
The Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories or Legislative Council of the Northwest Territories, Canada, is located in Yellowknife. The Assembly is a unicameral elected body that creates and amends law in the Northwest Territories...
.
Historically there have been four flags used in the territory since it joined confederation.
Hudson's Bay Company flag
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
served as the territorial flag from the moment Rupert's Land
Rupert's Land
Rupert's Land, or Prince Rupert's Land, was a territory in British North America, consisting of the Hudson Bay drainage basin that was nominally owned by the Hudson's Bay Company for 200 years from 1670 to 1870, although numerous aboriginal groups lived in the same territory and disputed the...
and the North-Western Territory
North-Western Territory
The North-Western Territory was a region of British North America until 1870. Named for where it lay in relation to Rupert's Land, the territory at its greatest extent covered what is now Yukon, mainland Northwest Territories, northwestern mainland Nunavut, northwestern Saskatchewan, northern...
was purchased by Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 1869 until it was replaced in 1950.
1950 flag
The territories’ second flag came about circa 1950. The territorial government was becoming sensitive to the needs of the territorial residents. The coat of arms on the flag consisted of a polar bear, and wheat stocks. Wheat stocks were a poor choice, as the territories’ agricultural land had been ceded to other provinces years earlier and the flag was replaced in 1959.1959 flag
Current flag
Robert Bessant
Robert Bessant is a farmer from Manitoba, Canada.Robert grew up in Margaret, Manitoba.Robert is best known for designing the current Flag of Northwest Territories in a 1969 nationwide contest by the Legislative Assembly of Northwest Territories. He designed the flag while he was still in his...
from Margaret, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
.
The flag carried over the coat of arms from the old flag, this time making it featured in the center, and dropped the union jack.
The flag features a blue field on which is a Canadian pale
Canadian pale
In vexillology a Canadian pale is a centre band of a vertical triband flag that covers half the length of a flag, rather than a third in most triband designs. This allows more space to display a central image . The name was suggested by Dr. George Stanley, and first used by Elizabeth II of Canada...
(a white stripe taking up half the width of the flag), with at the center, the shield from the coat of arms of the Northwest Territories. The blue represents the abundant Northwest Territories waters, whereas the white represents snow and ice.
See also
- Symbols of Northwest TerritoriesSymbols of Northwest TerritoriesNorthwest Territories is one of Canada's territories, and has established several territorial symbols.-Symbols:...
- Coat of arms of Northwest TerritoriesCoat of arms of Northwest TerritoriesThe original coat of arms of the Northwest Territories was granted by a Royal Warrant of Queen Elizabeth II on 7 February 1957. The shield is also featured on the territorial flag...
- Franco-TénoisFranco-TenoisFranco-Ténois, originating from the acronym TNO of the French term for the Northwest Territories of Canada refers to the widespread community of francophones that reside in the Northwest Territories....