I can only echo what Mary and Dwight have said. The guidelines are important, and we do use them. We use them all the time.
For instance, on the flying of flags, we would never deviate from the Canadian protocol of how flags are flown. However, when they come down, or when they're brought down to half-mast, it really is at the mayor's discretion. So the guideline is there, but it's tailored.