Maple Leaf Forever: Winnipeggers feel renewed sense of patriotism at Canadian flag giveaway

The hallways inside the River Heights Site community centre in Winnipeg were crowded with dozens of people lining up Saturday to get their hands on a Canadian flag, a coveted product flying off shelves in a wave of national pride.

Patti Edmond was among the early arrivals for the first-come, first-served giveaway event. 

The Winnipegger had tried to get a flag before Saturday, but her attempt floundered after she went to a Canadian Tire on Friday and found the Maple Leaf had already been sold out. 

The demand for Canadian flags has soared sharply over the past few weeks, with stores selling memorabilia in Winnipeg and other parts of the country seeing a surge in purchases ahead of Flag Day on Saturday. 

Edmond has regularly participated in the national celebration, now in its 60th year, which marks the first time the red-and-white Maple Leaf flag was raised on Parliament Hill. But commemorating the event this year is more important than ever, she said. 

"Everything that's happening south of the border, it's very, very concerning … and so as Canadians, we gotta come together and push back," she said. 

The renewed sense of patriotism sweeping the country comes in the wake of anti-Canadian rhetoric from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly said Canada should become the 51st American state.

"Trump has done some things to maybe break this apart, but it's just bringing us together, and that's fantastic," Edmond said. 

Ken Mutcheson, who was also at the flag giveaway, agrees. He said the renewed sense of Canadian pride is surging as a way of resistance to Trump's policies. 

"He created a big wave of unity across Canada. Everybody, even kids in schools," he said. "Patriotism has never been so strong as it is today."

The wait for Edmond, Mutcheson and dozens of others paid off, with the 100 flags brought for the giveaway flying off the shelves just minutes after the doors opened. 

"The success was great," said Coun. John Orlikow (River Height-Fort Gary), who put together the event. "Today's the day just not to look at dividing each other … We are Canadian and we are proud of each other." 

Orlikow said the giveaway was a way to release some of the frustration that has built up in the last weeks over Washington's "bullying" Canada. 

"This is a way for me to release some of that anger in a positive way," he said.