WESTLOCK – In a first for the municipality, when, why and for how long the flags in front Westlock County-owned buildings are lowered to half-mast is expected to be codified early next month.
At their April 18 committee of the whole meeting, councillors got a look at the new five-page “flags flown at half-staff” policy whose purpose is to ensure “the county's practice is exercised in a consistent and appropriate manner.” Following 10 minutes of debate which saw them pass on a handful of revisions to administration, councillors voted 7-0 to accept the document as information as it’s expected to return to the May 9 regular meeting for final approval. All county-owned municipal buildings and facilities that are equipped with a flagpole, including the main office, plus area fire halls, are covered under the document.
CAO Tony Kulbisky explained that the policy, which includes pieces of policies from municipalities he’s previously worked at, incorporates the practices of both Alberta Protocol and Canadian Heritage as to when they’ll lower the flags to “commemorate a solemn occasion.” Although other dates will be added according to those two government bodies, currently listed are: April 9, National Day of Remembrance of the Battle of Vimy Ridge; April 28, National Day of Mourning (for those who have suffered and died in the workplace); June 23, National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism; Police and Peace Officers National Memorial Day (the last Sunday in September); Remembrance Day, Nov. 11 and; Dec. 6, National Day of Remembrance (action on violence against women).
“Anything we get from the Protocol office we would automatically lower the flags to half-mast. The ones listed in the policy are from Canadian Heritage, but when the province says what they’re doing, that automatically comes to us,” Kulbisky explained in a follow-up interview April 19.
While councillors liked the document, they did ask for some revisions and singled out “half-staff” as Coun. Stuart Fox-Robinson noted that’s an American term and “half-mast is the language we use.” Aside from national and provincial tragedies, the policy also takes in consideration the passing of county staff, current councillors and reeves, MLAs, MPs, and premiers, as well as the length of time the flags will be lowered. And if there are “special circumstances”, flags may be flown at half-mast as the CAO will consult with the reeve and Alberta Protocol on the duration.
“It’s fantastic to have a formal policy on this,” added Fox-Robinson.
Leading up passage of this policy, Kulbisky said he regularly receives e-mail notification from Alberta Protocol and Canadian Heritage regarding whether the flags should be lowered and learned that there was no formal county policy in place to “ensure the entire organization knew what we were doing.” The new policy also dictates the county’s flags will also be lowered when members of the Canadian Forces born or stationed in Alberta are killed in action.
“We wanted to make sure to have a policy in front of council and then after they approve it, we’ll do an orientation and de-brief with all staff, so they know what the policy talks about, so we don’t have any deer in the headlight looks when we say how come no one is taking care of this,” added Kulbisky.
The policy, which be reviewed again in 2026, also states that CAO will notify all departments by e-mail when flags are to be flown at half-mast at their location, including the duration — departments and facilities do not have approval to lower flags and fly them at half-mast unless directed by the CAO.
