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Steveston resident asks city hall to fly pride flags

The current city policy on flying flags doesn't include anything to recognize the LGBTQ community.
Gibsons Flag
The progressive pride flag was raised in Gibsons this June.

Steveston resident Karina Reid is calling on the City of Richmond to raise the Pride Flag and the “Progress Pride Flag” at city hall.

Reid also said she’d like to see a “Every Child Matters” flag raised on Truth and Reconciliation Day as well.

Reid's husband Andrew Reid will be speaking on the issue at Monday’s city council meeting agenda to make these suggestions to mayor and councillors.

The progress pride flag was created by the creator of the original pride flag, Daniel Quasar. The progress pride flag, in addition to the original six colours of the pride flag, also includes white, pink and light blue from the transgender flag and brown and black stripes to represent people of colour and people who died of AIDS.

The current flag policy only allows flags of different countries, provinces or territories to be raised at city hall as well as the Olympic flag at special occasions.

The policy, however, does allow city hall to fly an “organizational banner,” that is, a cloth banner in a flag format, of a non-for-profit or special interest group.

There are also provisions in the flag policy of when the flag can be lowered to half-mast.

The City of Vancouver raised the progress pride flag as well as a flag celebrating transgender people for the first time this year.

While the pride flag hasn’t been flown at Richmond City Hall, the city installed a rainbow crosswalk three years ago to show support for the LGBT community. It wasn’t without controversy. Dozens of people came to city council to speak against the rainbow crosswalk, while many others spoke in favour.

In the end, city council voted 8-1 in favour of installing the rainbow crosswalk with Coun. Chak Au voting against it.