Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Harper complains that Canadian flags were on the sides

When Stephen Harper answered a question from Ralph Goodale during Question Period, he complained that the Canadian flags were placed on the sides. He is correct. However, there are etiquette rules when displaying the Canadian flag with provincial and territorial flags.

Here is a photo from Maclean's of the three opposition leaders at their accord signing with the flags displayed behind them. Sorry, it is the best photo I could find.


With flags of the Canadian provinces and territories

When provincial and territorial flags are flown with the National Flag of Canada, the order is based on the date of entry into Confederation of the provinces followed by the territories. In a grouping of flags that includes the National Flag of Canada and all of the flags of the provinces and territories, the order of precedence is:

1. National Flag of Canada
2. Ontario (1867)
3. Quebec (1867)
4. Nova Scotia (1867)
5. New Brunswick (1867)
6. Manitoba (1870)
7. British Columbia (1871)
8. Prince Edward Island (1873)
9. Saskatchewan (1905)
10. Alberta (1905)
11. Newfoundland (1949)
12. Northwest Territories (1870)
13. Yukon (1898)
14. Nunavut (1999)

When there are more than three flagpoles/masts, the National Flag of Canada should be flown on the left of the observer facing the flags, followed by the flags of the provinces and territories. An additional National Flag of Canada may be displayed at the end of the line if desired.

Display along a wall :


The National Flag of Canada is supposed to be displayed at the front and end (left and right #1's from our view).

4 comments:

Dr.Dawg said...

Well done.

Skinny Dipper said...

Thanks, Dr. Dawg.

AnonymousCoward said...

Hey Skinning Dipper, you are absolutely correct about their being a protocol for displaying the federal, provincial, and territorial flags.

However, your photo is not from the signing ceremony. It is from the press conference after.

The signing ceremony didn't take place in that room. And while there were two flags at the ceremony, they were off to the sides. Usually when I see press conferences at the federal level there is a whole row of Canadian flags behind them. Or, as you correctly pointed out, the federal, provincial, and territorial flags laid out in the correct order.

Oemissions said...

Always keep in your backpack, a proper set of flags and an operting camcorder.