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.)

British Columbia, the western most Canadian province. Today, the first Monday in August is British Columbia Day.

British Columbia is the 3rd most populous province in Canada. The capital is Victoria and the largest city is Vancouver. On August 2nd 1858, the Colony of British Columbia was created in London, England. One hundred and sixteen years later, it provided the impetus for a holiday Monday on the August long weekend, British Columbia Day. The first Bristish Columbia Day fell on August 5th 1974, this year the first Monday is August 4th.

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’.

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. (At one time the crown was at the bottom of the sun. This did not set well with the monarchy because the moto of ‘the sun never sets on the British Empire was threatened by this…) 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 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.