Changes could leave Westsiders wondering who died more often
Proposed revisions would increase times when flags outside civic buildings in West Kelowna are flown at half-mast
Flags could be flying at half-mast more often outside West Kelowna civic buildings.
A revised flag protocol to be discussed Tuesday by council would expand the number of occasions on which the Maple Leaf is raised only to half-mast.
Instead of being half-masted when civic employees are “killed while on the job,” as the current policy states, the revised protocol would see the flag lowered to honour “those staff members who died while employed by the City of West Kelowna.” If accepted by council, the revised policy would see the flag lowered whenever a city employee dies, whether he or she was at work or not.
Additionally, the revised policy would see the flags half-masted whenever a Canadian soldier or RCMP member is killed, anywhere in Canada or the world.
The existing policy only allows for half-masting if the soldier or police officer is from West Kelowna.
West Kelowna’s current flag protocols, which date back to 2009, also require the half-masting of the Maple Leaf upon the death of the sovereign, the current or a former governor general, the sitting or a previous prime minister, any member of the Royal Family, the current chief justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, various provincial politicians, and special occasions such as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women (Dec. 6) and National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism (June 23).
However, the policy specifically states the flag is not to be lowered for any reason on Victoria Day and Canada Day.
Staff’s suggested changes are in response to a direction from West Kelowna city council in January to look at how other municipalities pay tribute to prominent community citizens who’ve died.
Most municipalities do not have such references in their flag protocol, West Kelowna legislative services manager Shelley Schnitzler writes in her report to council.
Sometimes, she says, deciding when to half-mast the flag is simply the result of discussion between a mayor, city manager and city clerk.