The City of Fernie has adopted a new flag policy to give direction on flag protocol in the city.
City staff say Fernie has never had a flag policy and they were receiving many requests to fly special flags or fly flags at half-mast.
There was staff confusion about what flag requests should be approved.
There are some established precedents like flying a pride flag during the Elk Valley Pride Festival and at half-mast on Remembrance Day.
Under the policy, a Canadian flag, Fernie flag and Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi’it flag will flown at city hall.
In instances where a special flag is allowed, it will replace the Fernie flag.
“In the instance that we would want to fly the pride flag for example, we would take the Fernie flag down and fly the pride flag in its place,” said Mayor Nic Milligan.
There was some discussion on permanently acknowledging certain events in the policy, but Milligan believes it will be clearer if every group is required to request a change.
“I’m more comfortable reviving a request and us responding to a request because for those things like pride for example there is a significant event of raising the pride flag in the community,” he added.
Special flags are only to be flown with the direction of council by resolution.
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