• Manitoba's flag looks a lot like Canada's former flag,
  the Canadian Red Ensign
• The Union Jack is in the upper left corner on a red background.
• The province's shield is on the right side of the flag.
• It became the official flag of Manitoba in 1966.

• At the top of the shield is the English cross of St. George.
• The lower part has a bison on green background.
  (Thousands of bison roamed the prairies before settlers arrived.)

• The shield is at the centre of the coat of arms.
• Above it is a gold helmet and a beaver holding a crocus
  (the provincial flower).
• At the very top is a crown.
• A unicorn and a white horse are on either side.
• The unicorn represents the early Scottish settlers.
• The horse was very important to the First Peoples, the Métis and European settlers.
• The unicorn's collar has a wheel from a Red River cart.
• The Aboriginal circle of life is on the horse's collar.
• The bottom is grain fields, water, provincial flower and tree.
• The motto Gloriosus et liber means "Glorious and Free".

• The crocus is often the first flower appearing in early spring.
• School children chose it for the floral emblem in 1906.
• The flower is various shades of purple, from a bluish-purple to a pale purple.
• The crocus has a furry covering to protect it from the cold.

Click on the small photo to see
a larger picture of the crocus.