The removal of the Canadian flag from the front entrance of the Prime Minister’s Office in Ottawa has sparked debate among passersby. On Friday, a crew replaced the Canadian flag with the intersex-inclusive Pride flag, as captured in a video. Some observers expressed their discontent as the Maple Leaf was taken down from a small flagpole and swapped for the multi-colored flag.

Previously, a Canadian flag had flown on each side of the entrance to the Prime Minister’s Office, located on Wellington Street across from Parliament Hill. Currently, the Canadian flag remains on the left side, while the Pride flag is displayed on the right.

Critics have raised questions about the decision to replace the Canadian flag. There is no record of a public vote allowing the Pride flag or any other activist flag to share prominence with the national flag at the Prime Minister’s Office. Additionally, there has been no vote in the House of Commons regarding this matter.

The flag change has prompted inquiries about the reasoning behind the decision. Questions include who authorized the swap and why the Canadian flag was removed. As of now, the Prime Minister’s Office has not provided a response, nor has Ottawa’s Capital Pride commented on the situation.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has not addressed the flag change on his social media accounts. However, on June 10, he participated in a Pride flag-raising ceremony at Parliament Hill, stating, "As we raise our voices — and our flags — we celebrate 2SLGBTQI+ communities and remain committed to building a Canada where everyone can live freely and with #pride."

While raising a flag in support of an event aligns with Canadian tradition, the removal of the Canadian flag in favor of another at the PMO is a departure from standard protocol. According to the Canadian Heritage website, the national flag must be flown at all federal government buildings and takes precedence over all other flags on Canadian soil. The website specifies that the Canadian flag should always be placed in the position of honor, which is to the left of any other flag it shares space with.

This is not the first instance of a Pride flag being prominently displayed at a Canadian government office. For example, a hybrid Pride-Maple Leaf flag was recently seen at Canada’s embassy in Hong Kong, accompanied by a government social media post celebrating diversity.

In December, the mayor of Emo Township in Ontario faced a $5,000 fine and was ordered to undergo sensitivity training after the council voted against flying a rainbow flag at town hall. The decision to display the Pride flag at the PMO remains unclear, raising questions about whether it was a personal decision by Carney or a response to potential repercussions.

Given that the Prime Minister’s Office is a public building, some argue that any decision to replace the Canadian flag with another should be debated in Parliament. As it stands, the Pride flag now flies alongside the Canadian flag at the PMO, but the implications of this change continue to be a topic of discussion.