The Maple Leaf Flag

A Canadian couple was strolling through Hyde Park in London and sat down on a bench next to an elderly Briton.

The Brit noticed their lapel pins sporting the Canadian flag and, to make conversation, said, 'Judging by your pins, you must be Canadians.'

'Indeed we are,' replied the Canadian gentleman.
'I hope you won't mind my asking,' said the Brit, 'but what do the two red bars on your flag represent?'

'Well,' replied the Canadian gentleman, 'one of the bars stands for the courage and hardiness of our people in settling the cold expanses and broad prairies of our country. The other is for the honesty and integrity for which Canadians are known.'

The Brit mulled this over and nodded. Having poor eyesight at his advanced age, and not being familiar with maple leaves, he then asked, 'And what's that six-pointed item in the middle of your flag?'

'Oh, that's to remind us of the six words of our national motto,' the Canadian lady piped up.

The Brit then asked, 'And what are those six words?'
The Canadian smiled and replied, 'They are 'Don't blame us - we're not Americans.'

Footnote:
The flag of Canada has two red bars and a white centre - within which is a maple leaf. It was adopted as the National Flag in 1965. [Previously Canada used the Union Jack - the British Flag.]

The National emblem of a maple leaf and has been associated with Canada since the 1700's.

  Immediately after George W Bush's election victory in November 2004, Canadian immigration authorities experienced a six-fold increase in inquiries from US citizens - from 20,000 to 115,000 a day.