Canadian flag absent from Sask. government's media room throughout 2023

The Canadian flag has seemingly not been on the display in the radio room at the Legislative Building, where the Saskatchewan government hosts announcements and news conferences, for almost a year now. The move has many questioning its intent.

CBC has been unable to find the Canadian flag on display in any footage from the radio room in 2023. The last time it was seen was in November 2022.

The province would not confirm when exactly it removed the Canadian flag from the radio room, but said in an email statement attributed to the executive council that the flags are adjusted in accordance with protocol that outlines the order of precedence for when the provincial flag is displayed among other flags. 

"Specific to media events in the radio room, there have been times when both the Canadian and Saskatchewan flag are displayed and times when only the Saskatchewan flag is displayed," the statement said.

The province said the Canadian flag is flown in other areas of the legislative building.

WATCH| Saskatchewan residents are questioning government's removal of Canadian flag from its media room: 

Saskatchewan residents are questioning government's removal of Canadian flag from its media room

1 year ago

Duration 2:10

The Canadian flag has been seemingly absent from Saskatchewan government's media room throughout this year. People are sharing their confusion and frustration about it online.

People CBC spoke with in Saskatoon and Regina about the change expressed exasperation, confusion and curiosity.

Anmol Sandhu said the flag should be on the premises to uphold the Canadian identity and called the removal "disrespectful."

"It shouldn't just be the province, because the province isn't a country by itself," she said.

"You have to represent both on equal levels. Without Canada, there isn't Saskatchewan. Without Saskatchewan, there isn't Canada."

Tyrell Sawatzky said it is the latest "joke" in a series of moves by the government, including spending "hundreds of thousands of dollars" to put up Saskatchewan flags at every school in the province.

"They seem like a party without a platform. Right now they're just doing things and hoping something sticks," he said.

"It's nationalism, that's what it is. They've said it themselves, they're trying to make Saskatchewan independent to some extent."

"That's weird. They should put [the Canadian flag] back," Cara Zorgdrager said. "Why would they even remove it?"

Steve Boutilier said he is frustrated and disappointed with the province's move. He said many people are sharing similar sentiments over social media.

"The constant anti-federal government nonsense that this government brings forward, and using something like the flags in the media room as a prop for that, is just incredibly frustrating to me," he said.

"Simply removing flags without comment is incredibly insulting to a lot of people who care very deeply about national unity. It's driving a wedge just to serve political ends. There are a lot of real substantial issues that are affecting people's lives and they are entirely focused on just political posturing."

Boutilier said he has veterans in his family and called the move another straw in the "constant barrage of distractions from this government".

"Are we no longer part of Canada?" Deborah Underwood asked. "This is ridiculous."

'I do take offence'

Ab Gamble, a 69-year-old retired man in Regina, grew up on a farm south of Moose Jaw beside the 15 Wing Air Base. Gamble said he heard jets fly by regularly and his love for the flag grew.

"My father fought in the Second World War, his four years overseas, and my mother was a legion volunteer life long. We grew up with symbols and pride," he said.

"I do take offence when I see the Canadian flag moved and I would like a real explanation."

He said he has taken this up with Canadian Legion headquarters.

David York, a sessional lecturer in political studies at the University of Saskatchewan, said removing the flag is a political move.

"It's also some provincial sabre rattling and trying to reiterate the importance of our allegiance to a province rather than the nation," he said.

Opposition leader Carla Beck said the presence of the Canadian flag in the radio room does matter to her. She said besides being a proud resident of Saskatchewan, she is a proud Canadian.

"Really what is at the crux of this is this divisive style of politics," she told reporters Monday at the legislature. "It's a political pissing match. It's tiresome and I think people deserve better than this."

When questioned on the removal of the Canadian flag from the radio room, Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill repeatedly told reporters to refer to the statement from the executive council. The flag was also absent on the day of the throne speech last Wednesday.

"Last week I wasn't really thinking about what flag was behind me. I was focused on answering the questions that were asked of me," he said Monday.

"That was my first time in the radio room during a press conference. It's not something I noticed when I walked in."

Could mean many things

Daniel Westlake, assistant professor in the department of political studies at the University of Saskatchewan, said the move reminds him of 2004 when Newfoundland and Labrador's Premier Danny Williams ordered the removal of all Canadian flags from provincial government buildings.

"Danny Williams gave a big press conference saying we're taking the flag down from provincial government buildings and explicitly said that… that's the parallel that comes to my mind, except the odd thing about this case is we haven't seen the big announcement," Westlake said.

"It's been more subtle, and if you're trying to use the flag for political messaging or to make a big play, you tend to make it obvious what you're doing."

Westlake said the decision could have been accidental, or pertaining to flag protocol, or downright intentional. He said provinces in the past have been very clear and direct about this if expressing their displeasure with the federal government.

"I would expect the province would have said so, that's why they're doing it. The fact that they haven't said that makes me more uncertain about what's going on," he said.

"This could be anything from a subtle way to try to build Saskatchewan identity and hint frustration with the federal government, to a question of protocol, to a question of how many flags do they want in the background."

Westlake said there are many plausible explanations, but without any clear signaling from the government, it would be unfair to pick one as most likely.