Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the adoption of our national flag. On the evening of December 14, 1964, MPs gathered to conclude a controversial and sometimes acrimonious debate on the commitment made by then Prime Minister Pearson to adopt a distinctly Canadian pennant
Today, everyone loves our flag. It has become a proud symbol of our Canadian identity, our values and our hopes. I encourage all members of the House and all Canadians to discover the history of our flag in all its splendour.
The results of a free vote that took place at 2:15 a.m. on December 15 are as follows: 125 Liberals voted in favour and one voted against; 6 Progressive Conservatives voted in favour and 73 voted against; 19 Socreds voted in favour and 3 voted against; 13 New Democrats voted in favour and one voted against.
In all, 163 MPs voted in favour and 78 voted against.
In conclusion, I hope that we might all agree that 50 years ago the House of Commons acted decisively and did the right thing.