Col. the Hon. George Francis Gillman Stanley (July 6, 1907 - September 13, 2002) was a historian, author, soldier, teacher, public servant, and designer of the current Canadian flag.
Career
He was born in Calgary, Alberta and received a B.A. from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta. He went to Oxford University in 1929 as the Rhodes Scholar from Alberta, and earned a B.A., M.A., M.Litt. and D.Phil. He returned to Canada in 1936 and was a professor of history at Mount Allison University. He joined the military upon arriving in New Brunswick and was discharged as a Lieutenant-Colonel in 1947. He then taught at University of British Columbia until 1949. In 1949 Stanley went to teach at the Royal Military College where he was dean of arts for seven years and was there until 1969. In 1969 he returned to Mount Allison University where he became director of the new Canadian Studies program, the first of its kind in Canada,and was there until he retired in 1975. He is buried in Sackville, New Brunswick.
Politics
In 1982 he became Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick and served in this capacity until 1987.
Family life
In 1946 Stanley married Ruth L. Hill. They have three daughters: Della M.M. Stanley [Cromwell], Marietta R.E. Stanley and Laurie C.C. Stanley-Blackwell.
Honours
In 1976 he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada and was promoted to Companion in 1994. He also received a Knight of Justice of the Order of St. John, the Canadian Forces Decoration and twelve honourary degrees as well as his four earned degrees. He was a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and of the Royal Historical Society.
Involvement with the Canadian Flag
Stanley wrote a letter to the flag committee suggesting that the new flag of Canada should be instantly recognizable, and simple enough so that school children could draw it. He drew a rough sketch of his design on the bottom of the letter. (It had been inspired as he drove earlier that day, when he saw a red and white tri-bar flag fluttering near the Royal Military College in Kingston.)
The letter was placed on a wall with literally hundreds of other flag designs, and eventually was selected as one of the final three designs for consideration. Through some clever political moves by the Liberal members of the committee, it beat out Diefenbaker's flag (a combination of fleurs-de-lis, a maple leaf and the Union Jack), as well as the Pearson Pennant (a three-leafed stem on a white background with blue bars on either side).
Stanley's design was slightly modified by a government graphic artist (who, ironically enough, was a separatist) who gave the flag its current look. It was oficially adopted as the flag of Canada by the House of Commons on 15 December, 1964 followed by the Senate on 17 December, 1964, and proclaimed by H.M. Queen Elizabeth II, taking effect on 15 February, 1965.
Some debate lingered over whether Stanley or the graphic designer should get credit for the flag, but it was settled in 1995 when Prime Minister Jean Chrétien officially recognized George Stanley as the father of Canada's flag.
Selected Works
- The Birth Of Western Canada: A History Of The Riel Rebellions (1936) Reprint (1992) U. of Toronto Press. ISBN 0802069312
- Canada's Soldiers 1604-1954: The Military History of An Unmilitary People (1954) Macmillan, Toronto.
- In Search of the Magnetic North
- In the Face of Danger, New France: The Last Phase, Louis Riel
- For Want of a Horse: Being a journal of the campaigns against the Americans in 1776 and 1777 conducted from Canada (1961) Tribune Press.
- Louis Riel (1963). Ryerson Press. 1st Paperback Edition, 1972. 5th Printing 1969. ISBN 0-07-092961-0.
- The Story of Canada's Flag
- A Short History of the Canadian Constitution
- War of 1812: The Land Operations (1983) Gage Distribution Co. ISBN 0771598599
- The Collected Writings Of Louis Riel/Les Ecrits Complets de Louis Riel (1984) U. of Alberta Press. (Text in French and English) ISBN 0888640919
- Toil And Trouble: Military Expeditions To Red River (1989) Dundurn Pr. Ltd. ISBN 1550020595
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