Did Don Watt design the Canadian Flag?

While writing an obituary of Don Watt, the great Canadian designer, I noticed in the family's obit in the Globe and Mail the following:

One of Don's proudest achievements occurred in 1965 when his design was personally chosen by Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson for the new Canadian Flag. Don's design, featured a realistic representation of a red maple leaf, flanked by two solid blue bands representing 'from sea to sea'. Pearson changed the blue bands to red, saying to Don, 'this is a Liberal flag'. Don's design, until recently, was credited to a design committee. However, it is now recognized as his work, by leading International and Canadian news and design publications.

But my memory recalled a different story.

My understanding was that it was designed "by committee" but that the real work was done by George F.G. Stanley, with graphic touchup by an inhouse graphic designer, Jacques Saint-Cyr. Reading the letter above certainly makes it sound likely. 

No discredit to Don Watt, but the obituary sounds like wishful thinking.

Comments

[Jeannette Hanna]

Can you give some more details on the letter reproduced above? Who was the sender and receiver?

[DOUG WARWICK]

Lloyd Alter
Don Watt sent me this email October 20, 2009, two months before he passed away. He had offered to design a poster for my upcoming musical "The Flying Avro Arrow - Musical Comedy" . - Doug Warwick [email protected] www.seventeensteps.com I quote directly from his email :

"Hi Doug,

A little background on the flag...

When I made an unsolicited proposal to Prime Minister Pearson, he had initiated a national competition for a flag that would present Canada as a country in its own right, vs. a colony of Britain. I didn't enter, but over 600 submissions were received. I was puzzled that none of them recognized the sharp/soft character of the leaf, choosing sharp edges and corners throughout. At the time, Charles Templeton, a popular television personality, was about to run for the leadership of the Ontario Liberal Party. He joined his brother's design firm, where I was partner, to use as a base for his campaign. I asked Charles if he would present another option to Mr. Pearson and he agreed.

My design showed a single red leaf on a white ground, with blue bars on each side. Accompanying the design was a drawing over a shadow of a real leaf, with a stylized leaf, showing the sharp outer edges and soft inner returns. He returned, saying the Prime Minister loved it, but requested that I change the two blue bars to red! When I explained they represented the two oceans, Charles said: "It's a Liberal Flag Don, make it red". So the flag became red and white. Further, Government officers asked Charles to request that I not mention my involvement for at least ten years, which I accepted. Three years ago, when my partners and I acquired Gottschalk+Ash, the flag matter came up. Stuart Ash said he also had made a proposal at the time, but was told I had done it. The new flag was launched without mention of the designer, but no one minded that. The objective was to do something for the country to celebrate, during its Centennial year, in 1967.

Good luck with your project.

Don W."

[Folding Shovel]

Great sketches. Flag A definitely looks much more attractive than B. It's very interesting to see that it's still has a lot of mistakes (such as leaf is not really centered and etc.) :)

Btw, never thought that Canadian flag is so old.

Jayson
Gerber.

[Richard Walker]

Setting the record straight on who designed the Canadian flag...

I was interested to see that someone has tried to clear up the misconception about who designed the Canadian flag. My understanding is similar to yours; it was the result of a competition, refined by a committee and detailed by a single designer. A few years ago at a presentation recognizing the work of former OCAD students and graduates held at the college, I was startled to see that Don Watt had taken credit for the design of the Canadian flag in the display of his work. In the early 1980s a designer named Alan Fujiwara was doing some work for me on a design of the Labatt Briar Tankard trophy and logo and while working with Alan he showed me his final detailed drawing with proportional ratios, colour specification, and geometry for what is the Canadian flag. I do not recall which company Alan was working with when he refined the final flag design. In the 1990s when Don Watt was doing some package design work for me I remember a discussion with him regarding his contribution on the Canadian flag - Don described a flag with two blue bars, a centre white field with three stylized red maple leaves on a single stem. As Don Watt indicated there were numerous submissions of flag designs with maple leaves. Don Watt had significant accomplishments in his career but designing the Canadian flag was not one of them.

Success has many fathers, failure has none!