Montreal changes flag to honour Indigenous community

Wednesday marked a change to Montreal’s coat of arms to honour one of the city’s founding groups.

The city’s flag will now feature a white pine placed in the middle of the flag to pay homage to the city’s Indigenous population.

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According to the city, the new addition is a Tree of Peace.

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“The selected icon, a white pine, is a great historic, political and symbolic significance,” Mayor Denis Coderre said. “It is a symbol of peace and harmony.”

The symbols on the flag are the Fleur-de-lis, Rose of Lancaster, thistle and shamrock as well as a white pine, which represent the five founding communities of French, English, Scottish, Irish and Indigenous communities.