Editing Maple leaf

{{Short description|Leaf of the maple tree; national symbol of Canada}}
{{about|the maple leaf as a symbol|the hockey team|Toronto Maple Leafs|other uses}}
[[File:Acer_pseudoplatanus_002.jpg|thumb|Leaves of the sycamore maple (''[[Acer pseudoplatanus]]'')]]

The '''maple leaf''' is the characteristic [[leaf]] of the [[maple]] tree. It is most widely recognized as the [[national symbols of Canada|national symbol of Canada]].<ref name="canher2">{{cite web |url=https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/unofficial-symbols-canada.html |title=Unofficial symbols of Canada |publisher=[[Department of Canadian Heritage]] |access-date=2019-01-01}}</ref>

==History of use in Canada==
By the early 1700s, the maple leaf had been adopted as an emblem by the [[French Canadian]]s along the [[Saint Lawrence River]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fraser.cc/FlagsCan/Nation/NatSym.html#r10|title=National Symbols|website=www.fraser.cc}}</ref>

Its popularity with French Canadians continued and was reinforced when, at the inaugural meeting of the [[Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society]] in 1834,<ref>[http://www.pch.gc.ca/progs/cpsc-ccsp/sc-cs/o3_e.cfm Ceremonial and Canadian Symbols Promotion page for Maple Leaf]</ref> the maple leaf was one of numerous emblems proposed to represent the society. Speaking in its favour, [[Jacques Viger (1787–1858)|Jacques Viger]], the first mayor of [[Montreal]], described the maple as "the king of our forest; ... the symbol of the Canadian people."

[[File:Royal Standard of Canada.svg|thumb|right|[[Royal standards of Canada|The Sovereign's Flag for Canada]], showing a sprig of three maple leaves as part of the design]]
[[File:Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg|thumb|right|The [[flag of Canada]], featuring one stylized maple leaf in the centre]]
The maple leaf slowly caught on as a national symbol. In 1868, it was included in the [[coat of arms of Ontario]] and the [[coat of arms of Quebec]], and was added to the [[Canadian coat of arms]] in 1921. Historically, the golden maple leaf had represented Ontario, while the green maple leaf had represented Quebec.<ref>[http://www.onzone.ca/english/ontario/symbols/shield.asp Shield of Arms] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091207232357/http://www.onzone.ca/english/ontario/symbols/shield.asp |date=2009-12-07 }}</ref> In 1867, [[Alexander Muir]] composed the patriotic song "[[The Maple Leaf Forever]]", which became an unofficial anthem in English-speaking Canada.<ref>{{Cite news|author=Mike Strobel|title=Should we drop O Canada and revert to Maple Leaf Forever?|url=https://torontosun.com/2013/10/07/should-we-drop-o-canada-and-revert-to-maple-leaf-forever|access-date=2020-10-13|newspaper=Toronto Sun|language=en-CA}}</ref> From 1876 until 1901, the leaf appeared on all [[Canadian coins]], and remained on the [[penny (Canadian coin)|penny]] after 1901.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Robert Sibley|title=A short history of the Maple Leaf flag|url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/a-short-history-of-the-maple-leaf-flag|access-date=2020-10-13|website=Ottawa Citizen|language=en-CA}}</ref> The use of the maple leaf as a [[regimental symbol]] extended from the 1890s, and Canadian soldiers in the [[Second Boer War]] were distinguished by a maple leaf on their sun helmets.<ref>{{Cite web|title=WarMuseum.ca - South African War - The Canadian Uniform|url=https://www.warmuseum.ca/cwm/exhibitions/boer/canadianuniforms_e.html|access-date=2020-10-13|website=www.warmuseum.ca|publisher=War Museum|language=en}}</ref> During the [[World War I|First World War]], badges of the [[Canadian Expeditionary Force]] were often based on a maple leaf design.<ref>{{Cite web|title=General List Cap Badge|url=https://www.warmuseum.ca/s3/supplyline/assets/teacherresources/CWM_SupplyLine_GeneralListCapBadge_EN_FINAL_20140922.pdf|access-date=2020-10-13|publisher=War Museum}}</ref> In 1957, the maple leaf colour on the Canadian arms was changed from green to red<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2017-08-28|title=The history of the National Flag of Canada|url=https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/flag-canada-history.html|access-date=2020-10-13|website=aem}}</ref> – some maple leaves are commonly red even in spring as they bud and no seasonal colouring has been assigned heraldically.

The maple leaf became the central national symbol with the introduction of the [[Canadian flag]] (suggested by [[George Stanley|George F.&nbsp;G. Stanley]] and sponsored by {{abbr|MP|member of parliament}} [[John Matheson]]) in 1965, which uses a highly stylized eleven-pointed maple leaf, referring to no specific species of maple.<ref name=":0" /> Earlier official uses of a maple leaf design often used more than 30 points and a short stem. The one chosen is a generic maple leaf representing the ten species of maple tree native to Canada – at least one of these species grows natively in every province.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mapleleavesforever.com/default.asp|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091125220137/http://www.mapleleavesforever.com/default.asp|url-status=dead|title=Maple Leaves Forever<!-- Bot generated title -->|archivedate=Nov 25, 2009}}</ref> The maple leaf is used on the Canadian flag and by the [[Government of Canada|Federal Government]] as a personification and identifier on its websites, as part of the [[Federal Identity Program|government's wordmark]].

The maple leaf is also used in logos of various Canadian-based companies (including Canadian [[subsidiaries]] of foreign companies and small local businesses) and the logos of Canadian sports teams. Examples include [[Air Canada]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=Trademarks|url=https://www.aircanada.com/ch/en/aco/home/legal/trademarks.html|access-date=2020-10-13|website=www.aircanada.com|publisher=Air Canada|language=en-CH}}</ref> [[General Motors Canada]], the [[Toronto Maple Leafs]] and [[Winnipeg Jets]] [[National Hockey League]] (NHL) franchises, the [[Toronto Blue Jays]] [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB) franchise, and the [[Toronto FC]] [[Major League Soccer]] (MLS) club. Several national chains (e.g. [[McDonald's Canada]], [[Wendy's]] Canada) use the maple leaf in place of a [[possessive apostrophe]] in their company logo, in order to have consistent branding across the country while complying with Quebec's [[Official Language Act (Quebec)|''Official Language Act'']] (as the French language does not use this punctuation).

The maple leaf is considered a [[certification mark]] on product labels in Canada, equivalent to "[[Made in Canada|Product of Canada]]" which requires 98% of the total direct costs of the product to be incurred in Canada.<ref name="GnirssMade">{{cite book|first=Gary|last=Gnirss|title=Made in Canada, Eh?|work=Food in Vancouver|volume=67|issue=7|publisher=Glacier Media|location=Vancouver, British Columbia|date=September 2007|page=24|id={{ProQuest|224329565}} |issn=1188-9187}}</ref>

Since 1979, the [[Royal Canadian Mint]] has produced [[gold]], [[silver]], [[platinum]], and [[palladium]] [[bullion]] [[coin]]s, which are officially known as [[Maple Leaf (coin)|Maple Leafs]], as [[geometric]] maple leaves are stamped on them.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Gold Maple Leaf Bullion Coins {{!}} The Royal Canadian Mint|url=https://www.mint.ca/store/content/bullionProductDetails.jsp?itemId=prod1630042&cat=Products&nId=7400002&parentnId=1300002&nodeGroup=About+the+Mint|access-date=2020-10-13|website=www.mint.ca|archive-date=2020-11-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201106151059/https://www.mint.ca/store/content/bullionProductDetails.jsp?itemId=prod1630042&cat=Products&nId=7400002&parentnId=1300002&nodeGroup=About+the+Mint|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Silver Maple Leaf Bullion Coin {{!}} The Royal Canadian Mint|url=https://www.mint.ca/store/content/bullionProductDetails.jsp?itemId=prod1630032&cat=Products&nId=7400002&parentnId=1300002&nodeGroup=About+the+Mint|access-date=2020-10-13|website=www.mint.ca}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Platinum Maple Leaf Bullion Coin {{!}} The Royal Canadian Mint|url=https://www.mint.ca/store/content/bullionProductDetails.jsp?itemId=prod1660006&cat=Products&nId=7400002&parentnId=1300002&nodeGroup=About+the+Mint|access-date=2020-10-13|website=www.mint.ca|archive-date=2020-11-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201106055424/https://www.mint.ca/store/content/bullionProductDetails.jsp?itemId=prod1660006&cat=Products&nId=7400002&parentnId=1300002&nodeGroup=About+the+Mint|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Palladium Maple Leaf Coin {{!}} The Royal Canadian Mint|url=https://www.mint.ca/store/content/bullionProductDetails.jsp?itemId=prod2500601&cat=Products&nId=7400002&parentnId=1300002&nodeGroup=About+the+Mint|access-date=2020-10-13|website=www.mint.ca|archive-date=2020-10-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201014002814/https://www.mint.ca/store/content/bullionProductDetails.jsp?itemId=prod2500601&cat=Products&nId=7400002&parentnId=1300002&nodeGroup=About+the+Mint|url-status=dead}}</ref> The [[Trans Canada Highway]] uses a green maple leaf.

==Other uses==
[[File:Chehalis Washington The Maple Leaf City.jpg|thumb|A map showing the [[Chehalis River (Washington)|Chehalis River]], tributaries, and area railroads as forming the shape of a maple leaf]]

The Italian city of [[Campobasso]] was known as "Canada City" or in a minor way "Maple Leaf City", since during the [[Second World War]], Canadian troops invaded the city and freed it from the Germans.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Goddard, Lance.|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/163697491|title=Hell & high water : Canada and the Italian campaign|date=2007|publisher=Dundurn Group|isbn=978-1-55002-728-0|location=Toronto|page=75|oclc=163697491}}</ref> Moreover, the city has a huge variety of maples which can be found even in the streets.

The U.S. city of [[Carthage, Missouri]], is nicknamed "America's Maple Leaf City."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.legendsofamerica.com/mo-carthage/ |title=Carthage, Missouri – America's Maple Leaf City |access-date=December 27, 2020 |last= |first= |date= |work=Legends of America |publisher= |location= |language= |quote= }}</ref>

The city of [[Chehalis, Washington]], was known as "The Maple-Leaf City".<ref>{{cite web|title=The Evergreen State Souvenir by J.O. Hestwood, Chicago: W.B. Conkey Co., 1893, p.38|url=http://access.bl.uk/item/pdf/lsidyv37008fd3|access-date=2020-10-13|archive-date=2018-02-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180203170716/http://access.bl.uk/item/pdf/lsidyv37008fd3|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The mascot of [[Goshen College]] in [[Goshen, Indiana]], is the Maple Leaf and the nickname for Goshen College sports teams is the Maple Leafs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://goleafs.net/|title=Goshen College - Official Athletics Website|website=Goshen College}}</ref>

It is usually taken as one of the featured symbols on the emblem of the [[Pakistan]]i [[Provinces of Pakistan|province]] of [[Azad Jammu and Kashmir]], which is not correct. The actual featured symbol is a Chinar leaf, with ''Chinar'' being the Persian/Turkish/Urdu name for the [[Platanus orientalis|Oriental Plane]] (''Platanus orientalis''), a large broad leaved deciduous tree.

In [[Estonia]] and [[Lithuania]], inexperienced drivers are obliged to have a green maple leaf sign visible on the vehicle, serving a similar function that a [[P-plate]] does in some other countries.<ref>{{cite web|title=Liikluseeskiri|url=http://www.riigiteataja.ee/ert/act.jsp?id=13305765|work=Elektrooniline Riigi Teataja|publisher=Government of Estonia|access-date=9 July 2010|location=Estonia|language=et|date=25 April 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Road traffic rules|url=http://www.regitra.lt/uploads/documents/2013_Eng_KET.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130903045651/http://www.regitra.lt/uploads/documents/2013_Eng_KET.pdf|archive-date=2013-09-03}}</ref>

The maple leaf was also featured on the coat of arms of [[Sammatti]], [[Finland]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Acer (leaves)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Maple Leaf}}
[[Category:Maple|Leaf]]
[[Category:National symbols of Canada]]
[[Category:Leaves]]