Flags in mourning in Canada: half-mast, caskets and cravats

Flags play several parts in mourning in Canada. The best known is half-masting, but Canadian flag etiquette also covers draping a casket with the National Flag, the black cravat on an indoor flag and what becomes of a flag that has been used in mourning. Canadian Heritage describes these customs in its guidance on flag etiquette in times of mourning. For individuals and organizations, it is guidance rather than law, and Canadian Heritage adds that the traditions of groups and organizations, and above all the wishes of the deceased and the family, are respected.

National mourning

On the death of the Sovereign, the Governor General or the Prime Minister, the Rules for half-masting the National Flag of Canada provide for the flag to fly at half-mast on all federal buildings and establishments in Canada and abroad, including the Peace Tower, from notification of the death until sunset on the day of the funeral or memorial service. After Queen Elizabeth II died on 8 September 2022, the National Flag flew at half-mast on all Government of Canada buildings in Canada and abroad until sunset on the day of the national memorial service in Ottawa, and Canadians could sign an online book of condolences.

After the death of a Sovereign, the flag is raised to full mast on the day the accession of the new monarch is proclaimed. The rules also cover former Governors General and Prime Ministers, the Chief Justice, ministers, lieutenant governors, senators and members of Parliament; the details are in the guide to half-mast.

Personal and vice-regal flags

According to Canadian Heritage, the Personal Canadian Flags of members of the Royal Family, the vice-regal flags and the territorial commissioners’ flags are never flown at half-mast. On the death of a serving Governor General, the Governor General’s flag is taken down and presented to the next of kin by an official designated by the Prime Minister; the same applies to a serving lieutenant governor or commissioner. The vice-regal flags are never used to drape a casket: the casket of a Governor General is draped with the National Flag, that of a lieutenant governor with the National Flag or the provincial flag.

Draping a casket

Being laid to rest with the flag is an honour that, according to Canadian Heritage, is not reserved for soldiers, veterans and dignitaries: as the National Flag belongs to all Canadians, any Canadian may choose to have their casket draped with it.

• The proper size for a standard adult casket is 1.4 × 2.8 m (4.5 × 9 feet). Funeral homes can help obtain a flag of that size and a retaining band. Casket flags are made without a sleeve, toggle or halyard.
• Seen from the foot of the casket, the top of the leaf points to the right and the stem to the left.
• Flowers or wreaths are placed at the foot of the casket. For the military, veterans and law enforcement, a headdress and a small black or red cushion with the deceased’s medals can be placed at the head.
• The flag is removed and folded at a moment that follows the customs and wishes of the family, and always before the casket is lowered into the grave or before cremation.
• A flag used to drape a casket is folded according to the Canadian flag-folding etiquette and kept indoors, for instance in a flag box. It is never flown again.

Folding the flag

Canada has its own official procedure for folding the National Flag, the same for every ceremony, military or civil, private or public. The flag is folded in half twice along its long axis and then four times along its short axis. At funerals and committal services, the folding is done by groups of seven or nine people: six or eight pallbearers and a head pallbearer who leads. According to Canadian Heritage, the Canadian flag is never folded into a triangle, a tradition of other nations.

The cravat

Draping flags in black was customary in former times and has faded, but Canadian Heritage describes one form that is still acceptable: a cravat on a flag on an interior flagpole at the entrance of a building.

• The cravat is a piece of black crepe ribbon, 2.5 m long, tied in a bow at the base of the finial so that the bow spans 30 cm.
• The ends are cut diagonally and hang halfway down the sleeve of the flag.
• A cravat is never attached to the National Flag of Canada, a Personal Flag of the Royal Family, a vice-regal flag, a territorial commissioner’s flag or any exterior flag.
• Other flags, such as the flags of organizations, may carry a cravat when their own authority permits.

In Québec, the Gouvernement du Québec uses the cravat for the flag of Québec: an outdoor flag is lowered to mid-mast, while on an indoor flag mourning is shown by a black ribbon tied at the top of the staff.

Flags given to families

A flag flown at half-mast on the Peace Tower in memory of a deceased person is presented to the next of kin. Flags half-masted on other federal buildings may be presented when appropriate. They are folded according to the flag-folding etiquette and may be placed in a flag or presentation box. According to Canadian Heritage, such flags are considered removed from active use and are never flown again. The order of flags at ceremonies is described in the guide to flag protocol.