• Newfoundland is one of the oldest places in Canada.
  • In 1497 an explorer named John Cabot landed on the island.
  • He arrived on the feast day of St. John the Baptist and first called it St. John's Isle in honour of the saint.
  • The name for this new land changed to "New found launde".
  • Newfoundland became Canada's tenth province in 1949.

flag

  • This flag became the official flag of Newfoundland and Labrador in 1980.
  • White represents the ice and snow.
  • Blue is for the sea.
  • Red is for human effort.
  • The yellow line (arrow) represents confidence for a bright future.
  • The two red triangles represent the island and mainland of the province.
  • Blue triangles stand for the Commonwealth heritage.
  • The provincial flag represents the past, present and future.

coat of arms
THE COAT OF ARMS

  • The shield has a white cross on a red background.
  • Red and white are the colours of the Knights of St. John.
  • The lions and unicorns on the shield represent England and Scotland.
  • Aboriginal warriors stand on either side.
  • An elk stands above the shield.
  • The motto at the bottom is "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God".

pitcher plant
THE PITCHER PLANT

  • The Pitcher Plant is an insect-eating plant.
  • It is found in the wetlands and blooms in May and June.
  • The name comes from the hollow tube-shaped leaves which collect water and trap the insects.
  • It became the official flower of the province in 1954.

the pitcher plant


OTHER SYMBOLS

  • tree - Black Spruce (is on the Labrador flag)
  • bird - Atlantic Puffin (also called a sea parrot)
  • mineral - Labradorite (for decorating buildings, jewellery)
  • Another symbol of Nfld. is a large dog named the Newfoundland dog.

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http://www.saskschools.ca/~gregory/canada/emblems/nf.html