Flag Etiquette

In Guiding, you will often hear the terms colours, colour ceremony and colour party. Colours means the Flags. The colour ceremony is the ceremony of raising or lowering the Flag and the colour party is the group of girls who perform the ceremony.

During a ceremony, meeting or special event:

When the Colours (flags) are used in the Guide horseshoe, the Canadian Flag is always on the Guider's right, the World Flag on her left as she faces into the horseshoe.

When displayed in places of worship or on a speaker's platform the Canadian Flag should be displayed flat (hung horizontally) against the wall or on a staff on the celebrant's right or speaker's right as she faces the audience or congregation.

When used in the body of an auditorium the Canadian Flag should be on the right of the congregation or audience.

If the Canadian Flag is displayed vertically, the top point of the maple leaf should be to the left and the stem to the right, as seen by spectators.

There is no limit to the number of flags that may be displayed at one time. However, if a purely decorative effect is desired without the involvement of precedence for each flag, it is better to confine the display to Guiding flags.

The Canadian Flag should not be used to cover the speaker's table or draped in front of the platform nor should it be allowed to touch the floor.

When displayed with another flag with crossed staffs against a wall, the Canadian Flag should be on the observer's left with its staff in front of the other staff.

If a number of flags are carried in a procession or parade, the Canadian Flag should be in the position of honour at the marching right or at the centre front.

Everyone should stand at attention when the Canadian Flag is carried past and when the National Anthem is played or sung.

Order of Precedence

1. National Flag of Canada

2. Flags of other sovereign nations (in alphabetical order)

3. Flags of Canadian Provinces, then Flags of the Territories (precedence is determined by date of entry in Confederation, first the Provinces, and then the Territories)

4. World Flag (WAGGGS)

5. Guides Canada Flag

6. Brownie Flag

7. Spark Flag

When any of the above are not present, continue with the next flag in order of precedent.

Order of Canadian Flags:

Ontario (1867), Quebec (1867), Nova Scotia (1867), New Brunswick (1867), Manitoba (1870), British Columbia (1871), Prince Edward Island (1873), Saskatchewan (1905), Alberta (1905), Newfoundland (1949), Northwest Territories (1870), Yukon (1898), Nunavut (1999)

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