Dawson Creek council ponders new city flag

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Dawson Creek city council has begun discussing a new flag and coat of arms after staff discovered there was no record of the current flag being codified by council. 

During the November 24th regular council meeting, the City of Dawson Creek reviewed a report detailing a proposal for a new coat of arms and flag. 

Staff explained the digital mock-ups of a design up for approval which are included in the council report were provided by the Canadian Heraldic Authority’s grant of municipal arms and flag in 2008.

Councillor Charlie Parslow expressed his dissatisfaction about the new flag, saying the yellow was a “significant change” compared to the current city flag. 

Councillor Mike Sudnik also questioned why it was being changed after 17 years of the current flag, stating he was not in favour. 

Kevin Henderson, the city’s chief administrative officer, stated there was no record of council approving the current flag, and stated the city should have an official flag. 

When asked how this happened, Henderson clarified staff could not find any record of the council codifying the city’s flag, only the coat of arms, and this report and approval by council was “administrative cleanup.”

Staff also stated the council could choose to adopt the current flag, rather than the proposed flag, noting simply that a flag needed to be codified and included in the municipal government’s flag policy. 

When asked by council, staff confirmed as the colours in the new flag were close enough to the city’s current colour scheme of blue and yellow, there would be no significant changes to city signage. Staff went on to explain the colours differed compared to the current flag due to the images provided being taken from historical paintings. 

Staff confirmed a mock-up of the flag with more accurate colours was available, but was not brought to council for the meeting due to “a few different reasons,” but would be provided at a later date. 

Ultimately, council voted to defer voting on an official flag for the city until a render from staff depicting the official colours could be viewed by the councillors.