by Harmen Boersman
Flag flying is making news across Canada. Which flags will elected officials fly on municipal flag posts during the next four years?
The answer seems easy: the Municipal, the Provincial and the Canadian in one word: government flags should be flown on the municipal flag posts. Locally, the municipal government is mandated to, among other things, engage to foster goodwill and unity. The government flags are the ones that unite us.
We will soon elect a government and delegate to it the power to rule: adopt an official plan for development, propose administrative policies for the common good, vote on and enforce bylaws, create good will for all citizens, one person or one group at a time. The government flag(s) unifies us and assures us who is in charge of the well-being and security of the public space in the community. When there is an issue, residents know who to talk to.
The power to rule is enforced by law and the police or, if necessary, by the Canadian army. Canada adopted this parliamentary system of government from Britain and it has worked well for 150 years. It has allowed many immigrants and refugees to find a home in Canada, and it is worth defending.
Take the government flag down and replace it with the flag of a sub community. It creates doubt as to who is in charge in this municipality. A flag signifies power. That sub group cannot, and likely will not, deliver what the elected government is enabled to provide. It creates confusion and division.
Private residential organizations form an important component of a healthy Canadian community. Some have designed their own flag and fly it on their building or parade it through the street. Residents do not expect, nor request, the government flag to be taken down, or to share the municipal post site with their private one. Much goodwill has been created and practiced by private flag raising ceremonies to which the mayor and council, along with other members of the community, have been invited and participated.
In this election, I am looking for a mayor and four councillors who will unquestionably practice their craft and defend unity under the watch of the flying North Grenville flag. Don’t you?
Hmmmm…. this a clearly a parable… it’s meaning is vague and cloaked… For my part I surmise that the author is advocating against flying the Gay Rights Rainbow flag.
On this matter I will disagree. It is the role of a municipal government to celebrate and reinforce the culture and morality of a community. When that same Council wishes to reinforce the need for North Grenville to stand up for all of our rights… and for LBGTQ identifying peoples in the community to finally arrive at a place where they are equal in all ways… and not be treated with hatred…. then I say… fly the rainbow flag on the flag poles I designed and installed at City Hall on behalf of NG. And please also fly North Grenville’s flag, the Canadian Maple Leaf and Ontario’s too. And do so for goodness and tolerance.
That is a Council that North Grenville needs and wants.
Hi Chris
Which flag would you take down to fly the LGBTQ flag? I refused to take one of our flags down in order to fly the Franco Ontario flag. We compromised by showing the flag in the building. The francophone community were upset but as Mayor I felt my decision, supported by all councillors, was the correct way to go. As a resident of this community I would be severely pissed off to see any special treatment to any group other than veterans.