Canadian pale
In heraldry and vexillology, a Canadian pale is a centre band of a vertical triband flag that covers half the length of a flag, rather than a third as in most triband designs. This allows more space to display a central image.
History
The name was suggested by Sir Conrad Swan, Rouge Dragon Pursuivant, and first used by Queen Elizabeth II as Queen of Canada proclaiming the new Canadian flag on 28 January 1965.Description
The classic Canadian pale is a square central panel occupying half of a flag with 1:2 proportions. However, vexillological usage applies it to any central band that is half the width of the flag, even if this renders it non-square. The term Canadian pale is also used for flags which do not originate in Canada. The 3:5 flag of Mississippi and proposed flag of Taiwan and the 7:11 flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines are all described as having a Canadian pale.The Canadian pale is a popular feature of sub-national, civic and personal heraldry from Canada developed after 1965. A few examples can be found in the flag of Yukon, the flag of the city of Edmonton, Alberta, the arms of Athabaska University, and in the arms of numerous individual recipients.
The term is sometimes used in an even looser sense to refer to any flag with a larger central panel, irrespective of whether or not it covers half the flag. By this looser description, the flag of Norfolk Island and the flag of Iowa are sometimes considered to have a Canadian pale.