Saskatchewan

Sask. legislature to fly rainbow flag during Olympics

Premier Brad Wall announces over Twitter that the rainbow flag will be hoisted at the legislature in Regina.

Premier makes announcement over Twitter

The rainbow flag flies in front of the Saskatchewan legislature building in Regina. (Dani Mario, CBC Saskatchewan)

The Saskatchewan legislature will be decked out in the colours of the rainbow for the rest of the Sochi Winter Olympics.

Premier Brad Wall announced that the legislature would hoist the rainbow flag — a global symbol of support for the LGBT community — over Twitter this weekend.

"In Saskatchewan we protect human rights and stand against discrimination," Wall said in the tweet. By Sunday morning, the flag had already been hoisted.

Several Canadian cities have decided to fly the rainbow flag during the Olympics, as a response to Russia's anti-gay law prohibiting so-called gay "propaganda" that would be accessible to minors. The law, signed last July by Russian President Vladimir Putin, has garnered widespread criticism around the world.

In Canada, the flag will fly at city halls in Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal, among others. 

Neither Saskatoon nor Regina have flown the flag yet, although one community group in Saskatoon issued a request Friday that the flag be raised. It's expected the issue will come before Saskatoon's city council on Monday.