Flags representing different foreign nations may soon no longer fly on the courtesy pole out front of Calgary’s municipal building, with the intention of avoiding the flap that can go along with it.
Mayor Jeromy Farkas issued a statement Thursday afternoon, saying that he would be bringing an urgent notice of motion to amend Calgary’s Flag Policy so that national flags will no longer be raised.
The statement comes the day after Ward 13 Coun. Dan McLean said that Regina got it right when they cut the flying of foreign national flags earlier this year.
Both notices come as the Palestinian Community Association – Calgary posted to social media that on November 30, there will be a flag raising at Calgary city hall. That date has since been changed to Nov. 15, according to Farkas’s statement.
Regina made the change after past Israel and Palestine controversies in that city. Calgary hasn’t been immune to the politically-charged situation in the Middle East, with multiple protests and former Mayor Jyoti Gondek not attending the menorah lighting in December 2023.
Mayor Farkas said in his statement that the City of Calgary doesn’t have the legal authority to determine which countries Canada recognizes.
“However, over the past several days, Calgarians from many communities have reached out with serious concerns about how national flag-raisings, of any country, can unintentionally heighten tensions here at home,” the statement reads.
“These events, even when well-intentioned, increasingly risk becoming flashpoints for conflict and for the alarming rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia we are seeing in our city.”
Mayor Farkas said the Nov. 15 flag-raising would still go ahead, as approved under the previous policy. He said it must be conducted respectfully, safely, and with “an unequivocal rejection of hatred in any form.”
Take the countries out of it: McLean
Ward 13 Coun. Dan McLean said that he’s getting “zillions of phone calls from everybody.”
“Ultimately, if you look in the bylaws, it does say that it’s an administrative decision… if something that creates division or anger or hatred, which you know there is going on between Israel and Palestine, then you can refuse,” McLean told LWC.
In the City of Calgary’s Flag Policy, under section 5.3.1 General, part c (ii) it states: The City may not normally fly flags which may be considered controversial or divisive.
It also has rules around flying flags of nations that Canada does not have diplomatic relations or fly the flag of an organization “whose undertakings or philosophy espouse violence, hatred or racism or are contrary to City bylaws or policies.”
McLean said that if people want to celebrate their ethnic heritage at the municipal plaza out front of Calgary city hall or wave their country’s flags, that’s fine.
City officials regularly take part in raising the Pride flag, the Métis Nation flag, or for events like the Transgender Day of Visibility.
“We can still raise the rainbow flag or different communities, but not the country, because it’s all it does is it creates anger, division,” he said.
“So that’s where I’m at, and I think that’s kind of where a lot of council is at, and where the mayor is at.”
Applications for any flag raising must be received at least four weeks in advance of the requested date. Applications can be submitted up to one year prior to the date of the flag raising.
