deliriouslove1970. The life & times of Gary and Denise Flanders. (Free and worth every penny. If you would like to compliment the editor, send to garytheflan@deliriouslove1970.com. If you would like to complain, call your mother.)

Continuing with the Canadian theme on this rainy day in St Clair Shores Michigan: The Flag of British Columbia, the western most province. (Proper flag etiquette says you should not leave a flag out in bad weather – so, I take mine down in rain).

British Columbia is the 3rd most populous province in Canada. The capital is Victoria and the largest city is Vancouver. (Interestingly Vancouver has the largest Chinese population outside of China).

The coat of arms is an interesting design attempting to incorporate a little bit of everything. The Latin ‘Splendor Sine Occasu’ translates as ‘Splendor without diminishment’.

Like all of North America, the original First Nation people inhabited this land for over 10,000 years. Currently the Tsilhqot’in’ Nation is in a legal battle with the government of Canada over the title to the land.

The flag is beautiful, albeit slightly busy. It is based on the Shield to the Provincial arms of British Columbia. The top is a stylized Royal Union flag (what we call the ‘Union Jack’) defaced (the Vexillological term for sticking something onto a flag) in the center by a crown. Under all of this is the setting sun with blue and wavy lines representing the Pacific Ocean on one side and the Rocky Mountains on the other.

On the vehicle license plates of B.C the flag is misrepresented with the setting sun creeping up a little too high on the Union Jack. England was not too happy about this.

I do enjoy the flag, even though I would have made it much simpler. I would drop the Union Jack and the crown and keep the setting sun on the wavy lines. And, of course, they did not consult me.