Inaugural Under the Maple Leaf Flag Retirement Ceremony at Beechwood Cemetery

On the evening of June 18 2025, at the National Cemetery of Canada, history was made.

Beechwood Cemetery proudly hosted the inaugural “Under the Maple Leaf - Respecting the Canadian Flag” ceremony, the first national event of its kind in Canada dedicated to the dignified retirement of Canadian and provincial flags. This moving evening marked not only a symbolic first for Beechwood but also set a precedent for a new national tradition rooted in remembrance, gratitude, and renewal.

The ceremony opened with remarks from Nick McCarthy, Director of Marketing, Communications and Community Outreach, who reminded attendees of the profound significance of this moment. As the sun dipped below the horizon, guests reflected on the powerful symbolism of the Maple Leaf, a unifying emblem of Canadian identity, sacrifice, and hope.

“Each flag here tonight once flew with purpose, over homes, schools, embassies, cenotaphs, and battlefields. Tonight, we retire them with the same dignity with which they once flew.”  Nick McCarthy

The evening included tributes from a distinguished lineup of guests:

• John Fraser, Member of Provincial Parliament for Ottawa South, spoke of the flag’s enduring symbolism and its role in reflecting our shared values from coast to coast to coast.
• Joan O’Malley, who sewed the first Canadian flag in 1964, spoke of the flag’s origins and its evolution into a national icon.
• Don Mahar, a multi-service veteran and author, offered personal reflections on the flag’s deep connection to generations of Canadian Armed Forces members.

As part of the formal proceedings, military, veteran, and uniformed participants were invited to step forward and begin the retirement of worn Canadian flags collected from across the country. Many came with personal notes,  including one from a retired Master Warrant Officer and another from a first-generation Ukrainian immigrant who flew the flag proudly over a homestead in Saskatchewan.

Each flag was placed into a ceremonial casket,  generously donated by Northern Casket, a proud Canadian company,  not as an act of disposal, but as an act of national remembrance. The solemn military procession, accompanied by piper Bethany Bisaillon performing “Maple Leaf Forever,” guided the ceremonial casket past the National Military Monument, reinforcing the sacredness of the space and the significance of the act

. A defining moment came as a new Canadian flag, one that had flown over Vimy Ridge during the April anniversary of the 1917 battle, was raised over the National Cemetery of Canada. It served as a symbolic link between past and present, a tribute to the legacy of service and the ongoing story of Canada.

Following the flag raising, the Sing House Studios Choir led attendees in the national anthem, closing the ceremony on a note of unity and reflection.

This new tradition, Under the Maple Leaf,  is more than a ceremony. It is a national statement that our symbols matter, and that how we treat them at the end of their service reflects who we are as a people. Beechwood Cemetery is proud to announce that this ceremony will become an annual event, taking place every year two weeks prior to Canada Day.

To all those who joined us, thank you. By participating in this inaugural event, you helped honour the past, uphold our national values, and carry the spirit of the Maple Leaf into the future.