King, W(illiam) L(yon) Mackenzie

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Canadian Liberal prime minister 1921–26, 1926–30, and 1935–48. He maintained the unity of the English- and French-speaking populations, and was instrumental in establishing equal status for Canada with the UK.

Emphasizing Canada's independence from the UK
In 1925 King's request to Governor General Byng to dissolve parliament was initially refused. As a result, after his re-election in 1926 King insisted that the governor general should represent only the British crown and not the British government. This was eventually incorporated in the Statute of Westminster of 1931, which defined dominion status.

When Britain declared war on Germany in 1939, King, by postponing Canada's declaration for a week, affirmed Canada's independence in foreign affairs. When the Conservative opposition criticized Canada's war efforts as inadequate, King sought re-election and gained it decisively, the real issue being conscription, which he consistently opposed.

The emblem reflects the Vatican's importance as the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church. The colours of the flag are based on the gold and silver of the papal keys. Effective date: 8 June 1929. >>