Nova Scotia’s education minister says schools expected to fly diverse flags

HALIFAX — Nova Scotia’s education minister said Tuesday he will make it clear to schools on the province’s South Shore that they are expected to resume flying flags representing diverse communities.

Brendan Maguire told reporters that he believes all schools in the province should be safe places of inclusion and schools that have flags representing diverse communities should fly them.

“This legislature proudly flies flags, and we want to make sure that our schools are inclusive and display those flags proudly,” said Maguire. “We don’t want them all acting independently on this stuff. When it comes to inclusive environments, this is non-negotiable.”

The South Shore Regional Centre for Education issued a directive on Friday that all flags other than the Canada’s and Nova Scotia’s had to be taken down. A spokesperson for the centre said the decision was made to better care for the flags, moving them indoors to protect them from damage.

Concerns were subsequently raised by the Nova Scotia Teachers Union. Union president Peter Day has said that many of his members told him over the weekend they were upset that flags representing Mi’kmaq, African Nova Scotian, LGBTQ+ and other communities were ordered taken down.

Maguire said he made his decision to reach out to educational centres after finding out the flags had been removed and after discussions with the teachers union.

“My understanding was that someone had placed a concern about the condition of a flag, someone whom that flag represented, and the centre made the decision to remove the flags,” he said. “We are going to send a clear message that those flags should be displayed and people should feel safe and have inclusive environments when they go to school.”

The issue was brought up in the legislature Tuesday by the opposition Liberals and NDP who pressed the government to act to restore the flags.

The South Shore Regional Centre for Education represents 23 English-language elementary, middle and high schools.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 25, 2025.

Keith Doucette, The Canadian Press