By Lexi McFarlane, Times Chronicle
When to fly a flag at half mast and which flags and banners are appropriate were all issues under consideration at Oliver’s Committee of the Whole (CoW) meeting on Monday, Oct. 27.
Town Staff presented a draft flag policy for consideration, as Oliver does not currently have an official flag policy, instead following the protocols and best practices of the Province.
There are a total of thirteen flagpoles in Oliver, with four being outside Town Hall, four at the Oliver Visitor Centre, two at the Oliver Cemetery, and one at each of the Fire Hall, Airport, and the Oliver & District Recreation Centre.
The proposed guidelines focus on etiquette, including proper half-masting procedures, displaying guest flags and banners, and the role that the Town itself can play.
The policy would give the Canadian flag the highest priority, followed by other applicable sovereign nations, depending on the situation, then the BC and Oliver flags. The Osoyoos Indian Band flag follows in priority sequence, and then, wherever applicable, banners of organizations and historical flags would be allowed.
The proposed policy is open to guest flags; pending Council approval, the policy says that “the Town will fly flags of other sovereign nations, non-profit societies and other local organizations upon request.”
It is noted that the requesting parties supply the flags themselves and that they have to be in “good condition”. The Town of Oliver flag pole at the Municipal Hall is noted as the pole where alternate flags will be flown.
Lowering flags to half-mast, aka half-masting, has its own set of procedures in the proposed policy. Most instances of half-masting would be due to the passing of a sovereign, current leading federal or provincial officials, or current councillors, and Mayors of Oliver, past and present.
Remembrance Day is also included in the draft policy, with a poppy flag replacing the Town of Oliver flag. Anything not mentioned in the policy would result in the discretion of the Provincial government being followed.
The only change suggested was by Councillor David Mattes, as one of the details was incompletely defined.
“I was going to suggest putting in ‘already-serving’ for the (passing of a) Federal Cabinet Minister,” Mattes said.
The motion, made by Councillor Aimee Grice and seconded by Mayor Martin Johansen, was carried, and the policy will be brought forth for review at a future Regular Council meeting.
