The two vertical side bands on Canada’s flag are red.
Canada’s national flag is a vertical triband: a red band at the hoist, a white central band, and a red band at the fly. The central white panel is twice the width of either red side panel and carries the distinctive red, 11-pointed maple leaf. This is why the flag is often called the Maple Leaf or l’Unifolié.
The design was adopted in 1965 after a long political debate over whether Canada should retain symbols associated with the British Empire or create a more distinct national emblem. Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson supported a new flag, and the final design was based on proposals developed by George F. G. Stanley and refined by a parliamentary committee.
A common mistake is to describe the flag as simply red and white without identifying the layout. The side bands are red, the central field is white, and the maple leaf is also red. The leaf’s 11 points do not represent Canada’s provinces and territories; the shape was selected for visual clarity, including after wind-tunnel testing.