In the days following Squamish council’s May 19 decision to remove the American flag from Brennan Park Arena, residents have written to council urging members to reconsider, saying the move was made without adequate community input and sends the wrong message to American neighbours.
The flag has been displayed at the arena to welcome the US under-18 hockey teams Squamish hosts each season. A formal flag policy is currently being developed and is expected to come before council later this year.
Graham Roberge wrote to council on May 24 calling the decision “terribly disrespectful” to Canadian-American relations. He pointed to his family’s regular hockey trips to Washington state, where Canadian flags are displayed alongside American ones in arenas, as evidence of the goodwill that exists between the two countries at a community level.
He also cited a recent Buffalo Sabres game where American fans spontaneously sang the full Canadian anthem after a PA failure, arguing that everyday people on both sides of the border share a genuine friendship that risks being damaged by decisions like this one.
“Removing the flag will have a much longer negative impact on the relationship between us with current and future generations,” Roberge said. “I encourage you to reconsider the removal and encourage friendship over hated toward our neighbours.”
A second letter, sent the following day by Squamish resident Rachel Krumme, took issue specifically with the flag’s planned absence from the Howe Sound Secondary graduation ceremony on June 11. Krumme argued the decision was made without any poll or consultation of the graduating class itself, and that the letter prompting the removal did not represent the students as a whole. She noted the Sea to Sky corridor is home to many dual citizens and American families, and said the decision sends a damaging signal.
“It also echoes a very sad sentiment that Americans are NOT welcome here,” Krumme wrote. “Which I think is a very bad and misguided look for this community collectively.”
Both residents called on council to reverse its decision, with Krumme asking that proper community-wide consultation be conducted before any such motion is passed.
The council’s decision followed a complaint from local parent Lisa Manzini, and the chair of the HSS Grad Committee. Manzini described it as “baffling” to watch her daughter graduate in 2025 beneath an American flag, and asked that they be allowed to remove the flag for the ceremony.
District staff had initially refused the grad committee’s request for a temporary removal, citing the need for a formal flag policy. Council voted on May 19 to remove the flag permanently, with a municipal flag policy expected to come forward before the end of 2026.
Mayor Armand Hurford, and councillor Anderson voted against the motion, with Mayor Hurford saying the decision required more scrutiny than a single council meeting could provide. A formal flag policy involving consultation with the Squamish Nation is still in development.
Put the flag back
It’s not your graduation and unless your child is graduating or you attend ceremonies celebrating teenagers regularly, it’s none of your business! Besides read the article the flag is only coming down for the ceremony. There is nothing American for Canadians to celebrate under the current administration.
Supporting the American flag and positive American relations right now is anti-Canadian. The current administration is destabilizing the globe, attacking our nation’s sovereignty and is protecting pedal-files.
Maybe, just maybe, the young women graduating don’t want a flag waving above them that is protecting the scumbags that sexually prey on young GIRLS! Maybe the American supported genocide in Gaza and the Israeli land grab and ethnic cleansing in Lebanon, or the American kidnapping of a sovereign nation’s President just to get access to their oil, or the American murdering Venezuelan boaters, or the American bombing of any Nation they can find reason to makes our graduates uncomfortable to have the flag of war criminals hanging above them.
Let’s not forget President Pedal-File married an Epstein prostitute, has grapes teenaged girls and is protecting all the people involved he considers friends.
Canada is a sovereign country the only time a foreign flag should wave in our public spaces is when that country has a team here to compete for something, or there is a conference or summit. Otherwise why should we wave another country’s flag, especially when that country is attempting to bully the world.
The saga continues, but I am very glad to see that we still have folks with common sense and forward looking…
Encouraging, and hope the council does not give up permanently to triggered individuals without proper concentration of majority people they are supposed to be representing.
Considering the impact of the present USA government on innocent people that are imprisoned and are dead, I do not want American flags in my face on Canadian soil. That is a sign of honouring and we should not be honouring that present government.
I want to thank those that are looking at a “bigger picture” approach and asking thoughtful questions as well as pointing out the obvious disrespect. We, as a whole, have to really think about who this affects. It was short sighted and a rushed decision, in my opinion. “Be the change you want to see in the world”.
I think you would find a temporary removal for graduation (and other national events) wouldn’t bother most Americans living in the corridor. We understand that we are ultimately visitors here. We understand what our flag currently represents. I do believe having it present during sport exchanges sends an important message to younger generations. That we are 2 nations with a rich history and a relationship worth honouring. A total ban seems to be a hasty decision.
It is my understanding that the flag is there as a bridge between countries who collectively bond over sport. The Canadian flag flies within many of the arenas of our Southern neighbour. Having one single complaint that demands it to be taken down doesn’t represent the sentiments of everyone and the hastiness with which it was supported and removed is baffling. This is more than politics, It’s camaraderie. The demand for removal sends a negative tone regarding Canadian/American relationship and for the many of us dual citizens residing in the corridor, being in a community that fosters and models unity rather than that of political discourse supersedes that of the current administration and whomever fills the chair later. Jumping so quickly to appease the triggered individual without proper due diligence and consultation feels negligent and supportive of division. Which is not a good look for our community. I urge the council to reconsider the approved removal for this upcoming graduation commencement as well as the foreseeable future.
Arenas all through Canada and US hang both flags respectively.
With my daughter playing all through the USA this year I was happy to see the US hanging our Canadian flag in every arena she played.
Full consultation of our community should have been included in this decision.
In sports having both flags, Canada and US is extremely common and does promote friendly relations with our southern neighbours.
Some hockey teams just over the border into the US play in leagues in the lower mainland as well.
As well, some hockey teams do attend tournaments in the US from Squamish Minor Hockey.
For some, they may not have known that in sports in Canada and through the US we hang both Canada and US flags respectfully.