Manitoba

The province of Manitoba is locate in the centre of Canada, in the prairie lands. It stretches from the Hudson Bay, all the way down to the US border, and encompasses Lake Winnipeg. Which is also its largest city, and capital.

Originally many First Nation tribes settled the area after the Ice Age retreated, with the first European arriving in 1611 with Henry Hudson, who gave his name to the bay. He was subsequently abandoned there by his crew. In 1612, Sir Thomas Button reached central Manitoba in an attempt to save Hudson. 

That voyage led to the formation of the Hudsons Bay Company. The company acted as the de facto government and authority across large swathes of Manitoba through its network of trading posts. Hudsons Bay Company traded with the explorers bringing in needed supplies, and buying furs from the First Tribes. As the fur trade declined, the Hudsons Bay Company took to expanding their import/export side.

The Company, as it was the de facto authority, was granted the right to use the red ensign in 1689. It was defaced with the company initials in white on the lower fly of the flag. The letters consist of the H and B interlocked, with the "C" separate.

Manitoba was originally part of Prince Ruperts Land, and the territory was ceded to Canada in 1869. After the Manitoba Act introduced into the Canadian Parliament, Manitoba was formally a province of Canada in 1870. The original province of Manitoba was much, much smaller than it is today. In 1881, Manitoba expanded, only for large parts of its land to be handed to Ontario after Ontario claimed large chunks of it. Never the less, Manitoba continued to gobble up chunks of land from the Northwest Territories until it attained its current size in 1912.

The flag itself continues the use of the Red Ensign which had been in use in Canada as its national flag. Also, it was a nod to the regions history whilst it was under control of the Hudsons Bay Company which also used a red ensign. 

With the adoption of the new Maple Leaf flag for Canada, Manitoba took the decision to introduce a new flag. In 1965 a bill was passed on May 11. Queen Elizabeth gave permission in October, and the new flag was formally adopted in 1966. 

The new flag is the Red Ensign with the shield of Manitoba taken from the Coat of arms placed n the lower fly of the flag. 

The shield was granted to Manitoba by King Edward in 1905. The shield consists of the St George Cross at the top. Underneath, is a buffalo. A symbol of Manitoba's prairies.

In 1992, a Vice-Regal warrant was granted to augment the shield to include its supporters, crest and motto.

The supporters are a white horse, and unicorn. Featuring red and white beadwork, and a Red River wheel. The compartment consists of examples of Manitoba's diverse landscape. On top is a gold helmet, facing left. The mantling is red and white, the national colours, and the crest is a beaver, the national animal. The beaver is holding a prairie crocus, the national flower. The crest itself is surmounted with a crown, representing Royal sovereignty.

Labrador

Labrador forms part of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Newfoundland and Labrador consists of 2 parts. Newfoundland, a triangular shaped island in Canada's far east, and Labrador forms the triangular shaped territory next to Newfoundland on the mainland. 

Originally, Labrador was held by the French, but after the Treaty of Paris in 1763, the territories of "New France" where ceded to British control. Once Britain had finally taken full control, and quelled any troubles from the Francophone population who objected to British rule, the territories of what where now Lower Canada where divided up and became parts of the provinces of Quebec, and Newfoundland.

The Canadian Confederation was originally formed in 1867, with Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island uniting to form the first real "Canada." The rest of the territories joined this nascent Canada over the following 40 years, with Alberta and Saskatchewan joining in 1905. 

Newfoundland held out. 

The border between Labrador and Quebec (part of Canada) was not settled until 1927. Canada insisted that the border to Labrador essentially existed as a 1 mile strip along the coast. Needless to say, Newfoundland objected. Since both where part of the British Empire, the final decision was made by the Privy council in London, which fixed the border as it is today.

As part of Newfoundlands negotiations with Canada on entry into the Confederation, Newfoundland insisted that recognition of the border be enshrined in the new Canadian constitution, which it was. However, as late as 2001, the Quebec government insisted that it has never recognised the Privy council ruling. This leaves Quebec still in dispute. Though they have not done anything about it!

Recently, there has been a rise in Labrador to cede from Newfoundland itself, and form its own Province. Whether this will happen, we will see. But it is being driven in large part by the First Nations who live in Labrador, who are all applying for homelands. The Newfoundland government has said there will be no movement until the Federal Government makes its decisions.

As such, Labrador's flag is unofficial. But it is widely used. 

The top white bar represents the snows of Labrador, with the blue representing the seas, lakes, and waterways which abound across the territory.

The central green bar represents the Spruce tree forests which spread all over Labrador.

In the top hoist corner, there is a spruce tree branch placed over the white stripe. Three of the branches represent the Innu, the Innuit, and the white explorer. The fourth represents the fact that all people are ultimately the same. 

The four branches are arranged into growths. The lower 2 are shorter, representing a hard and arduous past, whilst the longer two represent the hopes for a more prosperous future. 

The coat of arms use many elements found in the flag of Labrador.

The colours on the shield represent the snows/mountains, the trees, and the waters of the territory. The 4 spruce trees represent the four points of the compass. The star represents the Pole star, a symbol of the territory's location as very much a northern territory. 

The supporters are Caribou, animals of historic significance in the lives of the natives, and later, the settlers. Underneath the shield is Caribou moss, and Labrador tea. The crest consists of a Snowy Owl on a wreath of red and gold.

Whether Labradors flag becomes official, we will wait and see!