The City of Kelowna is considering flying a pro-life flag over city hall during “Protect Human Life Week” from September 22 to 30 after a request from a non-profit group.

City spokesman Tom Wilson said the week is in its fifth consecutive year and celebrates the initiatives of the Kelowna Right to Life Society, a non-profit group that strongly opposes abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research.

“Their motto is celebrating life from conception until natural death,” Wilson said.

The week features a “Walk for Life” fundraiser, a screening of the anti-abortion film “October Baby,” and a public demonstration on Highway 97 and Gordon Avenue.

Wilson said flying the flag wouldn't necessarily mean the city endorses the views of the group, but allowing such proclamations are meant to provide publicity.

“Essentially, it is a show of support for these groups to advocate for their point of view,” he said. “Unless they’re offensive or contradict some human rights or espouse hatred or violence, the mayor signs them regardless of the political point of view. They’re not really considered an endorsement.”

But Kelowna Pro-Choice, a non-profit that supports a person's right to choose legal medical procedures such as abortions, says some pro-life views do contradict human rights.

“Politicians feel like they’re being balanced but in actual fact that’s not the case, they’re supporting a group that wants to take away the rights people have over their own bodies,” said chair Ruth Mellor.

Mellor said the pro-life week and flag are offensive and the Kelowna Right to Life Society’s protests are not reflective of the citizens of Kelowna.

“I think it’s offensive to a great number of citizens in the city and when mostly older men and women are picketing at the hospital it annoys more people and makes a lot of people really angry, especially some of the really graphic protest materials of the fetuses are very hard for women who have had miscarriages to see.”

Wilson said this is the first time the pro-life group has applied to fly the flag and the city is in the process of considering the application.

City staff rejected the group’s first flag design because it contained the phrase “celebrating life from conception until natural death,” which violated guidelines stating the flag cannot promote a point of view of a political, ethical or religious nature.

Wilson said a second design was submitted on Thursday featuring a toddler, an adult and an elderly person and the phrase “PRO-LIFE” and a decision is expected next week.

Kelowna Right to Life Society executive director Marlon Bartram said if the city approves the flag it would mean a lot to the organization.

“It’s not an endorsement, but it gives a little stamp of approval and gives us a bit of credibility in the public discourse. It’s a very amicable relationship we have with the city. They’ve always been very good to us, there’s no conflict and we very much appreciate what they’ve done for us over the years approving our Protect Human Life Week," Bartram said.

Wilson said the city gives equal consideration to all applications for proclamations and currently a flag from non-profit group Okanagan Pride to celebrate Pride Week is flying over city hall. Wilson said staff have received both letters in support and opposition to the rainbow flag, but have not received any public feedback regarding the pro-life flag.

“The idea for this was to be a unifying positive thing,” he said. “If council feels it’s veering off into a divisive service again they’ll look at it again.”