Most Canadians assume there is one correct way to retire a worn out flag, and Nick McCarthy says the real answer surprises almost everyone who hears it. He runs marketing and community outreach at Beechwood Cemetery, where a program most people have never heard of has quietly become the country’s most meaningful option.
Nick explains why the traditional methods fall short for so many Canadians, and what changed when Beechwood decided the flag deserved something closer to a proper farewell. He also shares some of the stories behind the flags that have arrived at their door, including one that flew over a Ukrainian immigrant family’s homestead for thirty years.
He covers how to request a flag with real history behind it, from Vimy Ridge to Juno Beach, and where to send an old flag when it is time to let go. If that faded flag out front has been on your mind, this is worth the ten minutes before you touch it.
Topics: retire a Canadian flag, Beechwood Cemetery, Under the Maple Leaf, flag disposal Canada, flag cremation
GUEST: Nick McCarthy | https://beechwoodottawa.ca/
Originally aired on2026-08-11
