The provincial flag is thirty years old today. Designed by Christopher Pratt, it was approved by the House of Assembly on May 28th, 1980 and was first flown on Discovery Day, June 24th, of that year. I was not too keen on it back then - it certainly is distinctive - but I have grown to like it. Somewhat. I'm certain, however, that older generations still think it's an abomination. It does have a lot going on.
From Wiki: The blue colour represents the sea, the white colour represents snow and ice of winter, the red colour represents the effort and struggle of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, and the gold colour symbolizes the confidence Newfoundlanders and Labradorians have in themselves and for the future.
The blue triangles are meant as a tribute to the Union Flag, and stand for the British heritage of Newfoundland and Labrador. The two red triangles are meant to represent the two areas of the province — the mainland and the island. The gold arrow, according to Pratt, points towards a "brighter future"; the arrow becomes a sword, honouring the sacrifices of Newfoundlanders in military service when the flag is draped as a vertical banner. The red triangles and the gold arrow form a trident, symbolizing the province's dependence on its fisheries and the resources of the sea.
I still like our Pink, Green and White flag (aka Republic of Newfoundland flag or Tricolour) better. It has a richer history and it just looks good. It's partly pink - how cool is that?
Yeah, I have a Pink in my office. Way cooler.
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