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Saskatchewan (Canada)

by Mario Fabretto

First Flag

The publication "The arms, flags and floral emblems of Canada" have a first flag of Saskatchewan.

This flag was granted in 1964 by the Saskatchewan Diamond Jubilee and Canada Centennial Corporation for the province's 60th anniversary celebrations in 1965 and its participation in the centennial of Confederation in 1967. The flag is not official. Ratio 2:3.

The colours have a significant meaning: golden yellow is the symbol of ripening wheat fields; green represents the luxuriants growth; and red suggest the fires which swept the prairies in early days before cultivation.
Jaume Ollé - 22 January 1996

Lieutenant Governor

by Zach Harden

From the Lt. Governor of Saskatchewan web site:

Symbols
The Lieutenant Governor, as representative of the Queen, receives the marks of respect reserved for Heads of State. At official ceremonies such as the Opening of the Legislature, the Lieutenant Governor is entitled to a 100-person military guard of honour, a 15-gun artillery salute, and a musical royal salute (the vice-regal salute).
Standard
The Lieutenant Governor has a personal flag called the vice-regal standard, flown on his car and on the provincial landau (used on major ceremonial occasions). It may also be flown on a building where the Lieutenant Governor is present. It consists of the provincial shield of arms surmounted by the Crown and surrounded by a wreath of ten maple leaves, on a royal blue background. The vice regal standard is not used within a building for any occasion.
Coat of Arms
A Coat of Arms is granted to the Lieutenant Governor by the Canadian Crown as a permanent mark of identity in honour of service to the Crown. The individual Coat of Arms is created by the Canadian Heraldic Authority at Rideau Hall featuring the prominent areas of interest as advised by the Lieutenant Governor.

researched by: Jarig Bakker, 14 December 1999

I think that if a connection with Scotland had been intended the lion would be rampant, as well as red. Like Nova Scotia? Perhaps it was thought that, a yellow and green shield, with red and yellow charges, looked better than, a red and green shield, with just yellow charges.
David Prothero - 9 May 1999

See also:

Lieutenant Governors, Canada

Fransaskois

by Jan Oskar Engene

Adopted: 1976
Designer: unknown
Proportions: 7:12

There are about 24.000 Fransaskois, or French Canadians, in Saskatchewan. The Association of French-Canadians of Saskatchewan adopted a flag for this community. The flag has a yellow with a green cross centred towards the upper hoist. A red fleur de lis is set in the lower fly.

Yellow is a popular colour in flags of this prairie province. It is a symbol of the wheat fields. The green cross represents the early missionaries and the Christianity of the Fransaskois. Green stands for the forest areas in Saskatchewan's north. The red fleur de lis is the emblem of Frenchness. It was also used on the arms of a French explorer that went to this area. Red is for the heart, a symbol of the aspirations of the French community in Saskatchewan. The Saskatchewan flag is also charged with the provincial floral emblem the Western Red Lily (adopted 1941). Yellow, green, and red are the colours of the provincial flag.

Sources:

Kevin Harrington: 'The Flags of the Francophonie in Canada', Flag Bulletin, No. 147, 1992, pp.139-152.
Symbols of Nationhood, Minister of Supply and Services, Ottawa, 1991

Jan Oskar Engene - 15 August 1996

The Fransaskois flag was the first francophone flag in western Canada. It was chosen in the late 70s by means of a contest sponsored by l'Association jeunesse fransaskoise (AJF), which represents the francophone youth of the province.

The flag's yellow background symbolizes the wheat fields of southern Saskatchewan. Agriculture is the foundation of the economy in this province. Most of the early French-Canadians settled in rural communities and made their living from the land.

The dark green of the cross represents the great boreal forest of the North. The cross itself is a reminder of the important role played by the Catholic church and the missionaries during Saskatchewan's early days.

The vibrant red of the fleur-de-lys represents the courage and determination of the Fransaskois in their struggle to preserve and further their language and culture. The fleur-de-lys is a symbol of French-speaking communities. This fleur-de-lys has the same shape as the one found on the flag used by the Metis during the Metis insurrection.

From: http://www.gpfn.sk.ca/culture/acfc/franflag.html

Dov Gutterman - 29 January 1999