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10 dos and don'ts for flying a Canadian flag
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Obey the rules of etiquette for displaying the Canadian flag to ensure the utmost honour and respect for our home and native land.
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By Jennifer Melo
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While you're planning your Canada Day celebration this year, you may be tempted to dress up your patio chairs with the Canadian flag, or drape a big flag over a picnic table as a tablecloth but you'd be committing some no-no's in your patriotic decorating efforts.
And if you're attempting to honour your multiculturalism with a flag from another nation, you should carefully consider its position in comparison to Canada's flag. Do you know the rules of etiquette for flying Canada's flag? Here are some dos and don't s to consider:
Do's for flying and displaying the Canadian flag
-Do give the Canadian flag its own mast. No sharing, please.
-Do give the Canadian flag prominence. Make her feel special when other flags are around by giving her a higher position. The only flags that take precedence over the Canadian flag are the personal flags of members of the Royal Family and of Her Majesty's 11 representatives in Canada (i.e. The Governor General and 10 Lieutenant Governors.)
-Do keep an eye on that stem. If hung vertically, the flag should be placed so that the upper part of the leaf points to the left and the stem to the right.
-Do fly the flag both day and night. When the sun goes down, there's no need to bring the flag down with it.
-Do fly the flag at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on: Remembrance Day (Nov. 11), Workers' Mourning Day (Apr. 28), the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women (Dec. 6) and on the Police and Peace Officers' National Memorial Day (the last Sunday in September.)
Don'ts for flying and displaying the Canadian flag
-Don't fly it upside down. This one's a no-brainer but mistakes happen so, when displayed horizontally, make sure the maple leaf's stem points towards the ground.
-Don't use the Canadian flag as draping for the unveiling of a statue, plaque or monument. Why not use a nice velvet fabric instead? The flag should only be displayed in ways that honour it as an important national symbol.
-Don't sit on the flag or spill your dinner on it. The flag should never be shown indignity or be displayed in an inferior manner so keep it off your chair seats and tabletops.
-Don't toss an old, tattered Canadian flag in the trash. The dignified way to dispose of it is to burn it in a private setting.
-Don't fly the flag at half-mast on Canada Day and Victoria Day. Even in times of national mourning or honour, you should fly the flag full-mast on these two holidays.
With a hearty sense of national pride and simple guidelines for flying the flag with etiquette in mind, you're ready to display your flag with confidence and share your true patriot love.
For more rules of half-masting the Canadian flag and more, visit the Canadian Heritage website at www.canadianheritage.gc.ca
Think you can recognize Canadian foods? Test your smarts with our quiz: How well do you know Canadian food?
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