Residents most likely to display their provincial flag

[megadude]

Don't know if this has been discussed on here before, but I am curious since I noticed a couple of new flags in front of a house today on my usual commute in front of Oakville GO station. There were two small flag poles on the front yard, one had a Canada flag, the other had Ontario.

I searched and saw that there was a thread about best and worst provincial flags, but I didn't see anything discussing the prevalence of the flags in each province.

I think display of the Ontario flag is pretty rare for a residence. I'd say the same thing for a businesses too. Canada flag could possibly outnumber Ontario flags 100 to 1. The most obvious reason is that the flag is not unique. But also because Ontarians don't share a strong bond or unique culture.

Growing up in Brampton, where there is a sizable Newfie population, I would see tonnes of NL flag stickers on cars. Same with the outline of the province.

I've been to Montreal 10 times. First was 1995, during the lead-up to the referendum. Needless to say, saw tonnes of QC flags on balconies, etc. Saw tonnes of Canada flags too.

So my impression is:

1. QC - For obvious reasons.
2. NL - Isolated and was last to join Canada. Very unique identity.
3. SK - The most prairie of the prairie provinces (the populated southern half). Gives the people a unique bond.


After that I have no idea. I'd imagine ON would be last and MB not far behind strictly due to having the same boring flag. Plus I always read that Winnipeg hates itself and perhaps this extends to the rest of the province?

Do you know anyone that flies the provincial flag? What are your impressions for people who have lived in multiple provinces?

I imagine Texas would be #1 down south.





https://flagmartcanada.com/products/...ncial-flag-set

[JHikka]

Quebec and Newfoundland.

Originally Posted by megadude

I think display of the Ontario flag is pretty rare for a residence. I'd say the same thing for a businesses too. Canada flag could possibly outnumber Ontario flags 100 to 1.

Mostly because Ontarians see themselves as the shining beacon of representing Canada. You can see this at highway rest stops...in most other provinces they're filled with little Provincial trinkets, but in Ontario they're all mostly Canada labeled stuff.

[HomeInMyShoes]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Quebec and Newfoundland.


Mostly because Ontarians see themselves as the shining beacon of representing Canada. You can see this at highway rest stops...in most other provinces they're filled with little Provincial trinkets, but in Ontario they're all mostly Canada labeled stuff.

Newfoundland. Especially if its the pink one.

Around here you do not see anyone posting the Saskatachewan flag. Flags I have seen though:

Argentina
Sweden
Norway
Finland
Cameroon
Nigeria
Pilsner

But the flag you will see the most is the Saskatchewan Roughriders' flag.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

Newfoundland. Especially if its the pink one.

The Republic of Newfoundland flag, yes. Waiting until Signal finds this thread.

Both the Republic & Provincial flags are flown often, though. The only time you see Canada flags are on Federal buildings.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

But the flag you will see the most is the Saskatchewan Roughriders' flag.

Which is basically an alternate Sakatchewan provincial flag anyway, TBQH.

[Drybrain]

Huh. Lots of flags in Nova Scotia, though mostly in small towns and rural areas, not so much in the city. (Though there are some, and it finds its way onto things like business logos and the like.)

I don't recall a lot of Ontario flags from when I lived there, which I honestly think has to do with being the largest and culturally dominant province: "default Canada". Lots of Canadian flags, especially in rural areas/cottage country, but not so many provincial ones (in my highly anecdotal experience).

Don't recall a lot of Alberta flags from my years there, which is kind of surprising in retrospect. But I rarely left Calgary city limits, so maybe small towns were different.

[niwell]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

Don't recall a lot of Alberta flags from my years there, which is kind of surprising in retrospect. But I rarely left Calgary city limits, so maybe small towns were different.

It's still not a lot, but I have noticed an increasing number of Alberta flags and Alberta flag branding on things each time I visit Calgary. As a kid I don't think I'd ever really seen one except outside a government building.

[CoffeeBreak]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

I don't recall a lot of Ontario flags from when I lived there, which I honestly think has to do with being the largest and culturally dominant province: "default Canada". Lots of Canadian flags, especially in rural areas/cottage country, but not so many provincial ones (in my highly anecdotal experience).

One can argue that Ontario has the least interesting of all of the provincial flags.
There is no defining character, uniqueness or distinctiveness whatsoever about the current design, leaving very little that would allow for provincial identification or pride.
It's simply the British Flag Red Ensign design adorned with a few maple leaves - easily mistaken or confused with Canada's former flag from the first part of the last century.
I'm not sure how this could possibly engender any sort of pride or identification, so I'm skeptical of the claim that Ontarian's are the culturally dominant or noble "default Canadian's"

In Manitoba, the only other province to retain the archaic red ensign design, at least there's a visible buffalo to denote that the region was once populated with thousands of the animals across vast stretches of its southern prairies.

With Ontario, there's nothing to identify with in the provincial flag... so it doesn't surprise me to hear that many in this province would opt for the Canadian flag (red maple design) over its own provincial flag. Ultimately, when deciding which flag (or flags) to fly, I believe it's the banal simplicity of Ontario's provincial flag that results in it rarely being used outside of provincial government buildings.

[Docere]

Some have referred to Manitoba as "the Ontario of the Prairies."

[saffronleaf]

Originally Posted by CoffeeBreak

One can argue that Ontario has the least interesting of all of the provincial flags.
There is no defining character, uniqueness or distinctiveness whatsoever about the current design, leaving very little that would allow for provincial identification or pride.
It's simply the British Flag Red Ensign design adorned with a few maple leaves - easily mistaken or confused with Canada's former flag from the first part of the last century.
I'm not sure how this could possibly engender any sort of pride or identification, so I'm skeptical of the claim that Ontarian's are the culturally dominant or noble "default Canadian's"

In Manitoba, the only other province to retain the archaic red ensign design, at least there's a visible buffalo to denote that the region was once populated with thousands of the animals across vast stretches of its southern prairies.

With Ontario, there's nothing to identify with in the provincial flag... so it doesn't surprise me to hear that many in this province would opt for the Canadian flag (red maple design) over its own provincial flag. Ultimately, when deciding which flag (or flags) to fly, I believe it's the banal simplicity of Ontario's provincial flag that results in it rarely being used outside of provincial government buildings.

We don't need a flag to inculcate provincial pride in our people in Ontario.

First, we have the trillium, a symbol that means everything to Ontarians. Finally, we have the motto, uttered each and every day by each and every Ontarian with great pride, "loyal she remains".

No flag is needed for our provincial pride is readily apparent to all.

[lio45]

In most of Quebec the flag you see displayed is the Quebec flag. The Canadian flag being displayed is a dead giveaway that it's an old Anglo who lives there.

Parts of Montreal of course may be the exception.

In Ontario I don't doubt the flag of Canada is considered the local flag, as JHikka pointed out.

[MonctonRad]

Provincial flags are pretty popular in the Maritimes, but still play second fiddle to the Canadian flag.

NS and PEI in particular show a lot of provincial pride. NB flags are pretty common, but in this province Acadian flags (in francophone areas) can outnumber provincial flags. This is partly cultural, partly nationalist.

In Newfoundland, I gather that the pink tricolour can be quite popular in certain areas (especially the Avalon) for political (republican) reasons.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by lio45

In most of Quebec the flag you see displayed is the Quebec flag. The Canadian flag being displayed is a dead giveaway that it's an old Anglo who lives there.

Parts of Montreal of course may be the exception.
.

Gatineau has very few flags of any type on private residences or businesses in the city. This actually contrasts with Ottawa where you see the Canadian flag quite a bit on homes and businesses.

In the city in Gatineau you really only see flags displayed on St-Jean-Baptiste Day and Canada Day.

The Quebec flag is seen on cars and homes and balconies before and on June 24 throughout the city. Not as much as in Montreal, Quebec City and other parts of Quebec, but it's nonetheless very visible here.

You also see the Canadian flag on Canada Day and the lead-up to it, but not as much as you see the Quebec flag for June 24. I've always kind of been surprised by this.

The one exception to this is the part of downtown Gatineau right off the bridges where the Canada Day celebrations spill over from Ottawa. Those areas are full of Canadian flags on July 1st.

It's also not uncommon to see vehicles with Ontario plates driving on roads and highways in Gatineau on July 1 and flying huge Canadian flags.

As for year-round flag displays as I mentioned there are very few in the city. Outside of the city there are more on rural properties. West of the city in the Pontiac it's the Canadian flag you see, going north it's a bit of a mix and varies from town to town (Wakefield is mostly Canadian flags for example), and eastwards as you get into the Papineau/Petite-Nation region the Quebec flag predominates and things pretty much stay that way for 1000 km or more going east with only a few exceptional blips along the way.

[esquire]

NL owns this. The rest of you pack up your flags and go home.

Speaking about the home front, you don't often see the MB flag on display. And you practically never see it outside of Manitoba.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by esquire

NL owns this. The rest of you pack up your flags and go home.

I wouldn't say NL owns this, even if it's near the top.

A pretty strong case can be made for Quebec too.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I wouldn't say NL owns this, even if it's near the top.

A pretty strong case can be made for Quebec too.

No question that Quebec is neck and neck with NL in terms of the importance they place on their provincial flags, but IMO Quebecers don't seem as inclined to fly it, except on special occasions like SJB.

People from NL and to a lesser extent NS seem to love putting their flag on everything... in their yard, on bumper stickers they put on their cars, tattoos, etc. It's ubiquitous in a way that the fleur-de-lis isn't.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by esquire

No question that Quebec is neck and neck with NL in terms of the importance they place on their provincial flags, but IMO Quebecers don't seem as inclined to fly it, except on special occasions like SJB.

People from NL and to a lesser extent NS seem to love putting their flag on everything... in their yard, on bumper stickers they put on their cars, tattoos, etc. It's ubiquitous in a way that the fleur-de-lis isn't.

Viewed from that angle I can see your point.

We don't have the "flag wars" (anymore anyway) that SHH talks about, which of course leads to a proliferation of flags.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I wouldn't say NL owns this, even if it's near the top.

A pretty strong case can be made for Quebec too.

I wonder if truck stop chains in NL fly their flag or not... I expect so if NL wants to have a shot at competing.

https://www.google.com/maps/@45.6887...7i13312!8i6656

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by lio45

I wonder if truck stop chains in NL fly their flag or not... I expect so if NL wants to have a shot at competing.

https://www.google.com/maps/@45.6887...7i13312!8i6656

Unless I am mistaken, those big Irving stations in the Maritime provinces tend to fly a big flag of the province they're in - not the Canadian flag.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Unless I am mistaken, those big Irving stations in the Maritime provinces tend to fly a big flag of the province they're in - not the Canadian flag.

That'd be interesting if they did! I don't recall seeing any, but then my experience in the maritimes is limited (cutting through the NW corner on NB on the way to my mom's hometown).