Yellowknife, Iqaluit, Whitehorse city halls fly rainbow flag

Yellowknife became the third Northern city to unfurlthe rainbow flag above city hall Tuesday morning to show support for gay rights during the Winter Olympics.

The Sochi Olympics are taking place amid a growing climate of homophobia in Russia.A new Russian law bans people from speaking out in favour of gay rights.

Municipalities across Canada are flying the rainbow flag in support of theLGBTcommunity. Some Iqaluit residents started a social media campaign to push the city to add its voice to the protests.

"This wasn't a council initiative,it was a community-led initiative which was easy for me to get behind, not because I have any stake or say in what the Olympics means to me, but because I believe in equality," said Coun. KennyBell.

Whitehorse city hall hoisted the rainbow flag on Friday, the day of the Olympic opening ceremonies. Iqaluit raised their pride flag Monday afternoon.

Whitehorse Mayor Dan Curtis says the flag represents inclusion and respectvalues, he says, the city shares with the gay community.

"We have a variety of organizations and people of all types and shapes and ways, so I think that we're very, very inclusive and we want them to know is that they're part of our family and we're very proud of them and we're going to continue to support them forever," he said.