Prince Edward Island (Canada)

ISO 3166-2 Code: CA-PE
MARC Code: pic

The arms ("to be bourne ...on shields, banners and flags...") of the province were assigned by Royal Warrant of HM King Edward VII dated 30 May 1905 (gazetted 23 September 1905), however, the original drawing was lost by enemy action during the Second World War, and "an official drawing and blazoning of the armorial bearings of this province granted as aforesaid" were re-issued (this last contained in the 'Coat of Arms Act' but the date of issue is unknown by myself)

The flag was established by 'An Act Respecting the Provincial Flag, Chapter 11, Laws of Prince Edward Island' which received Royal Assent on 24 March 1964, with the schedule therein contained describing the flag as follows:

"The flag is that part of the Armorial Bearings of the Province contained within the shield as set out in the drawing thereof in the schedule of the Coat of Arms Act (1988, being Chapter C10 of the Laws of Prince Edward Island), but is of rectangular shape instead of that of a shield, with a fringe or band hereinafter described, and measures six feet in the fly and four feet in the hoist inclusive of the fringe or band. The Chief and charge thereon occupies the upper one-third part and the remainder of the Armorial Bearings occupies the lower two-thirds part of the space within the fringe or band and the dexter of the Flag. A fringe or band of uniform depth of three inches consisting of alternate rectangular renderings (ten inches long and three inches in depth) of the principal colours of the Armorial Bearings commencing with red at the top dexter runs along the perimeter of the rectangle containing the Armorial Bearings except on the dexter. Smaller or larger flags are to correspond with the above description in the proportions of 6, 4 and 1/4 the fly, the hoist and depth of the fringe".

The official Pantone colour specifications of red 186, green 369, yellow 129, brown 483, light green 563 and blue 542 were set by Nancy H. George, Provincial Treasury, on 28 October 1998.

(Primary source: 'Laws of Prince Edward Island, Provincial Flag Act, R.S.P.E.Il 1988, Cap. P-27)
Christopher Southworth, 23 July 2003

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The 1988 act has been replaced by a new legislation made necessary by the supporters etc. granted by the Governor General in a warrant dated 26. April 2002. I am unable to find an adoption date, but the coat of arms act came into force on 13. December 2002. The new coat of arms act can be found here: http://www.gov.pe.ca/law/statutes/pdf/c-10_1.pdf

The provincial flag act is located here: http://www.gov.pe.ca/law/statutes/pdf/p-27.pdf
Jan Oskar Engene, 26 January 2005

The Prince Edward Island badge according to Admiralty and Colonial Office papers, was not approved for use on a flag until 1878. There was a design, with a slightly off-centre crown between the two trees, that made it into print, but probably not into cloth. There was also a suggestion that the garland on the Lt. Governor's. version of the flag, should be rose leaves with pink roses, but that was rejected.
D Prothero - 1997-12-31

Flags Through the Ages and Across the World by Whitney Smith shows the following ensigns for the provinces of Canada :
Prince Edward Island - Red Ensign with shield and scroll below
Chris Pinette - 30 June 1998

From what I can gather reading official documents available from the PEI General Assembly web site, on 10 May 2002 Royal Assent was given to Bill No. 30, Coat of Arms Act, which added several new elements to Prince Edward Island's coat of arms which previously consisted of a shield and a scroll containing the motto as David described. Now the armorial bearings contain helmet, crest, supporters, and compartment. I cannot find a representation of these arms, it seems the Act is yet to be published. However, section one of the Bill gives the following blazon of the full arms:

1. The Armorial Bearings of Prince Edward Island consist of the complete armorial achievement for the Province of Prince Edward Island, being the Armorial Bearings granted by Royal Warrant of His Late Majesty, King Edward VII, dated 30 May 1905, as augmented by Vice-regal Warrant of Her Excellency the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, Governor General of Canada, dated 26 April 2002, and is described as follows:

(a) ARMS: Argent on an island Vert, to the sinister an oak tree fructed, to the dexter thereof three oak saplings sprouting all proper, on a chief Gules a lion passant guardant Or;

(b) HELMET: a helmet mantled Gules doubled Argent within a wreath of these colours;

(c) CREST: on a grassy mount, a blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata) reguardant crowned with the Royal Crown and bearing in its beak the leaf of a red oak (Quercus rubra L.) fructed proper;

(d) SUPPORTERS: Two foxes (Vulpes fulva) Sable embellished Argent, that to the dexter gorged with a collar of potato blossoms proper, that to the sinister gorged with a length of fishing net Argent;

(e) COMPARTMENT: a mount Vert set with a Mi'kmaq star Azure between lady's slippers (Cypripedium acaule), roses, thistles, shamrocks and lilies proper;

(f) MOTTO: Beneath the compartment, a scroll inscribed with the Motto, PARVA SUB INGENTI."

The arms were presented by the Governor General on 13 December 2002
Jan Oskar Engene, 29 December 2002