A B.C. veteran said he was angry to see a damaged Canadian flag flying outside a Service Canada building on Vancouver Island.
Russ Vida passes by the building in Courtenay quite often but recently noticed the flag outside was ripped down the middle and had seen better days.
“If you’re obligated to fly a flag, fly it within protocol,” Vida told Global News. “If it’s outside of protocol, take it down.”
“It just made me angry immediately.”
Vida said he visited Service Canada to inform them about the state of the flag but was told “It’s not our building, it’s not our responsibility,’” Vida said.
He then took his concerns to his MP’s office but said he was not taken seriously.
Vida takes note of flags in his community and doesn’t shy away from telling people when they’re breaking protocol — whether it’s a fellow resident or city hall.
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“We have a flag policy and we keep our flags in the best shape we can and we monitor it on a pretty much daily basis,” Geoff Garbutt, Courtenay’s city manager told Global News.
Vida said he’d rather see flags pulled down than in rough shape.
According to the Canadian government, a faded or torn flag should be replaced as soon as possible.
“When a flag becomes tattered and is no longer in a suitable condition for use, it should be destroyed in a dignified way.”
Service Canada said the recent storm damaged the flag and will be replaced as soon as possible.
For Vida, the Canadian flag is a symbol of pride, but it’s the pride that Vida believes citizens have lost.
“Be proud of the flag you’re flying,” he said. “It’s our national symbol and fly it with respect.”
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
