Governor General presents new colours to Canadian Navy

An old tradition, renewed:

GG presents Canadian Navy with new ceremonial colours

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Her Excellency, the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada, presents a flag with the New Colour during a consecration of the Queens Colour ceremony held in Halifax on Saturday June 27, 2009. (Mike Dembeck/THE CANADIAN PRESS) HALIFAX -- Carrying on an age-old tradition, Canada's navy received its Queen's Colour on Saturday during a parade full of pomp and circumstance at the foot of Halifax's historic Citadel.

The new colours or flag, were presented by Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean, who during an address to 500 sailors and officers from across the country, contrasted her girlhood fear of Haitian military thugs with the pride she feels wearing the uniform as commander-in-chief of Canada's armed forces.

"I grew up under the yoke of of a ruthless dictatorship, where the military uniform came to symbolize the brutal repression of the people, tyranny and massacres," Jean told the assembled ranks.

"You can see how far I have come, from the child who saw her parents, her family, her friends grappling with the horrors of oppression ... And I can say before you now with absolute certainty that it is an honour and a source of great pride for me to wear your uniform."

Jean's speech also cited recent relief work by the navy in the wake of four devastating hurricanes that hit Haiti and its role in battling piracy off the coast of Somalia as examples of a "rich tradition of service and valour."

Jean also thanked navy families for "their tremendous sacrifices" over long separations endured while loved ones serve at sea.

"Know that wherever your duty may take you, you can count on the recognition and respect of your fellow citizens," she said.

The presentation of the colours is a prized tradition in the Canadian military and is seen as a symbol of duty to Queen and country.

The navy, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary next year, received its first colours from King George V in 1924, but King George VI became the first sovereign to present them in Canada in 1939.

The colours were next presented by Queen Elizabeth II in Halifax in 1959.

Saturday's parade marked the first time the navy had received its official colours since 1979, when the late Queen Mother presided over the ceremony.

The design of the flag, which is kept at defence headquarters in Ottawa, is the same as the 1979 version.

The navy's Queen's Colour is a silken white flag with the Canadian flag in the upper corner, the Royal Cypher for Canada in the centre and the navy's symbol in the lower edge. The edge of the colour is trimmed in gold.

Jean presented the colours after the new flag had been consecrated on an altar draped over military drums...

Good shot of the Commander-in-Chief in uniform:

More here from the CF's magazine, The Maple Leaf. The flag itself:

...

Queen's Color.

by Joseph McMillan and Graham Bartram

White silk, 36 x 45 inches, with the national flag of Canada in the canton. In the center is the royal cipher on a blue background within a circlet of roses ensigned with the royal crown, while in the lower fly is the mark of the Navy, a flying eagle affront� superimposed on a fouled anchor ensigned with a royal crown, all in dark blue. Gold and silver fringe, cord and tassels. (Note: fringe is a surprise, since the Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy colors omit it. But the article by Harold Diceman cited below has a picture of the official design sheet, and it shows the fringe.)..