Today marks the 51st anniversary of the National Flag of Canada. On the Great Lakes, the crews of the Canadian Coast Guard Ships Samuel Risley and Griffon are celebrating the Flag, which has pride of place aboard all Canadian Coast Guard ships.  In the first photo, we see the crew of CCGS Samuel Risley celebrating the anniversary while on a stop at the Sarnia Government Dock. CCGS Samuel Risley is a familiar sight on northern Lake Huron, with the ship home-ported in Parry Sound. In the second and third photos Coast Guard members proudly display our Flag on the flight deck of CCGS Griffon, while on duty on western Lake Erie. The Griffon is home ported in Prescott Ontario.
 
Background:
On February 15, 1965, our national flag was raised for the first time on Parliament Hill. The year 2016 marks the 51st anniversary of the National Flag of Canada, and Canadians will join together on February 15 to celebrate this beloved symbol of our Canadian identity.
To promote National Flag of Canada Day on February 15, 2016, and show your pride, you are invited to take part in the Share your moment with the flag challenge by sharing a picture or video of you and the flag on social media (Twitter, Instagram or Facebook) using the hashtag #CanadianFlag and by challenging your colleagues, family and friends to do the same.
To follow the conversation on Twitter and view the photos of everyone taking part in this inspiring challenge, use the hashtags #CanadianFlag and #Drapeaucanadien.
Let’s make the most of this great opportunity to honour the National Flag of Canada – a symbol that’s recognized and respected around the world and an enormous source of pride.
