National colours of Canada red "in recognition of Canada's official colours". The proclamation accepts both colours for the maple leaves, stating ""three maple leaves conjoined on one stem proper"", in which "proper" refers to the natural colour of the leaves, which is green in spring and summer, and red in autumn. It was not until 1961, with the creation of The Queen's Personal Canadian Flag, that red and white became entrenched as the national colours. For the Federal Identity Program operated by the Treasury Board Secretariat of the Government of Canada, official and signage colours are specified in technical specification T-145. The red colour
National colours of Germany and the North German states. After the war and the breakup of the German Confederation, the Prussian-led North German Confederation was established at the instance of Minister-President Otto von Bismarck to answer the German question. Another colour scheme was desired, as the black and gold colours were associated with Habsburg Austria. From 1867, the black, white, and red colours became the flag of the newly established federated state; the tricolour derived from the combination of the Prussian black and white with the white and red flag of the North German Hanseatic League. Since the 13th century, a black cross on