B.C. couple refuse to remove Canadian flag from balcony after strata council demand

Handout photo of Canadian flag draped over Jack and Pat Matthew's third floor apartment balcony in Sechelt, B.C. The couple received a letter from the building property manager who said the strata council is asking them to take down the flag, citing strata bylaws. Photo by Jack Matthews

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For over a year, Sechelt residents Jack and Patricia Matthews have hung a Canadian flag outside their condo balcony.

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They, like many Canadians, wanted to show off their pride in the face of U.S. President Donald Trump’s increased use of tariffs on Canadian imports and threats against Canadian sovereignty, including rhetoric about turning Canada into a 51st state.

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This week, the couple was annoyed to receive an email from their building property manager saying he had received a complaint about their 1.2-metre by 0.9-metre flag and asking them to take it down.

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The email told the Matthews that their flag potentially violates a strata bylaw about hanging or displaying laundry, washing, clothing, bedding or other articles from windows, balconies or other parts of the building that are visible from the outside. It also cited another strata bylaw that spells out rules for hanging seasonal or festive decorations only within a certain number of days before and after an event.

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“If you have not yet removed the flag, I ask that you please do so,” the letter states.

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“Jack and I refused to take it down,” said Pat Matthews. “Our argument is, ‘Why can’t we display the Canadian flag?’ with all the rhetoric with Donald Trump and the 51st state and all that garbage.”

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Another resident in their building took down their Canadian flag after receiving a similar email, said the couple, but the Matthews plan to keep theirs in place.

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After they posted a copy of the email from the building manager on a hallway cork board, they received plenty of support from other residents, said Jack Matthews.

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The email was signed by Adam Major, a managing broker and building manager with Holywell Properties. Postmedia reached out to Major on Tuesday via his office phone number and email, but did not hear back by deadline.

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“If you have any patriotism, this is a sensitive issue,” said Jack Matthews.

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He said he generally supports council’s strict approach with enforcing the bylaws.

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“I helped write some of them,” he said. “But this is a bit unpatriotic.”

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He said he could understand if they had hung a flag with more overt political overtones that could be considered divisive, such as the flag of Israel or Ukraine.

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“But it’s the Canadian flag!”

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Handout photo of Canadian flag draped over Jack and Pat Matthew’s third floor apartment balcony in Sechelt Photo by Jack Matthews /Submitted

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The couple have lived on the Sunshine Coast for over 50 years and in the apartment building for more than a decade. They are originally from England and received their Canadian citizenship a few years after moving to B.C.

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“I phoned (the property manager) and told him I was extremely disappointed,” said Jack Matthews. “We’ve got other things in the world to worry about right now than to be bombarding me and residents with disputes about hanging the Canadian flag.”