The rainbow flag will fly over the B.C. legislature during the Sochi Olympics to protest anti-gay laws in Russia.
The NDP’s Spencer Chandra Herbert requested the move after learning that B.C. had yet to follow the lead of other legislatures and city halls in Canada already flying the flag as a symbol of gay pride.
“To me, that was pretty shocking, considering that we hosted the last Winter Olympics, considering we’re a province with a history of fighting for equality for LGBT folks and for human rights,” he said. “So I wrote to the Speaker and asked that B.C. do the same.”
Herbert also requested that the Liberals support the move and they agreed late Wednesday, he said.
Justice Minister Suzanne Anton issued a statement saying that “equal rights for the LGBT community are fundamental human rights” and that the Liberals are pleased to support the raising of the pride flag.
Anton called the situation in Russia “a serious human rights issue” and said the flag will go up outside the legislature this afternoon.
Herbert said it’s the first time in B.C. history that the rainbow flag has flown over the legislature. He has asked that it remain there during the Olympics and the Paralympic Winter Games to follow.
“The message we can send here is that British Columbia is a province that embraces equality and stands against hate and, in particular right now, stands against Russia’s law which effectively criminalizes lesbian, gay, bi and trans Russians,” Herbert said.
“For me, I don’t think Russia should have been given the games because of their discriminatory laws, but they were. And now I think we can use this as an opportunity to put some pressure on that government, but also really reflect British Columbia’s values.”
The rainbow flag went up outside Victoria city hall last Friday on the first day of the Olympics, as it did at city halls in Vancouver, Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto.
