By 1964, while the United States approached its bicentennial, Canada was in many ways still tied to the United Kingdom, and many Canadians wanted a flag of their own to represent their growing autonomy. The first proposal for a Canadian flag featured three maple leaves on white between two blue stripes, but the flag met objections from those who wanted to include the Union Jack or the fleur-de-lis as nods to their English and French heritage. The debate raged on with thousands of attempts until historian George Stanley submitted the familiar Maple Leaf flag we know today. After further spirited debate, Parliament approved the flag on—in Canadian dating convention—17 December 1964.