Council member proposes flying Canadian flag at Langley City Hall amid drop in Canadian visitors

A council member asked the Langley City Council on June 29 to authorize display of the Canadian flag at City Hall as a gesture toward Canadian visitors, saying it could be installed July 1 or July 2 and would not require staff time.

"The reason I wanna display the Canadian flag is because of the, national situation and ... 30% of our tourism is not here because Canadians are boycotting," the council member said, arguing the move could show goodwill and attract press attention.

Mayor Kenny Horstman relayed that Director Beach had raised concerns about protocol for displaying another nation's flag and urged verification to avoid disrespect. "As she was leaving today, Director Beach said that, hey, I think that this is maybe not appropriate for the Canadian flag based on, the country of Canada's expectations around their flag," the mayor said.

Council members discussed alternatives and process. One member suggested borrowing a Canadian flag from community organizations — churches or the American Legion — to display inside council chambers during a meeting to avoid potential conflicts with pole display rules. The proposer said the hardware is already on the portico and that the intent was ceremonial rather than operational: "There won't be an impact to staff, and we'll put it up on July 1 and perhaps July 2."

Members also flagged the absence of a formal city policy governing requests to fly foreign flags and recommended that the council develop clear criteria before taking action. The proposing council member withdrew the immediate proposal for a pole display but said they would work with a colleague to refine an approach.

No formal motion or vote was recorded on the flag display at the meeting; the council moved to follow up on protocol and options.