A township in southwestern Ontario has passed a bylaw that will preserve the use of civic flag poles for official government flags only.
Yesterday CBC published an article focused on its discovery that the Township of Norwich paid Acacia Group, a law firm with Christian roots to draft its Flag and Banner bylaw.
In the article CBC interviewed two people complaining about the councils decision for voting against flying non-civic flags on government property including businesses and individuals making their own choice to remove “pride” flags from their own private property.
“Pember said many in favour of the flag bylaw have posted hateful messages on local Facebook groups.” Reported CBC
“One side is coming with love and acceptance, and the other side is coming with a lot of hate and disdain,” said one Norwich resident Heather Pember.
Despite not providing one single example of “hateful” messages the resident claims to be referring to.
The second of the two people the CBC interviewed said the pride flag should fly on government property for no other reason than because “next month is Pride month.”
At the ending of April council voted in favour to ban all non-civic flags from flying on it’s government properties and only allows flags representing municipal, provincial and federal governments.
The most common point from supporters of the proposed Flag and Banner bylaw all agreed official civic flags are already inclusive for everyone while certain non official government symbols on government property are divisive and dividing the community.
A simple fact pointed out is if you fly one non official government flag you must flag them all wheatear it be religious, another nation or a political agenda etc…. with no end because someone will always feel left out.
“Whether flown together or apart, these [government] flags are all we need to represent the diverse and multicultural citizenship in Norwich township,” said councillor Scholten.
According to the description of the Flag and Banner motion that “Township property” will only allow official government flags and banners to be displayed, which doesn’t include individuals private property and their individual opinions or views.
In the council meeting minutes on April 25, 2023 it says the motion that was passed with 3 yeas and 2 nays will establish a bylaw to:
- Provide that only the three official government flags (Federal, Provincial, and Municipal) be flown on any Township property,
- Provide that only banners related to promotion of downtown businesses or for downtown beautification be installed on Township owned streetlight poles, and include banners only to use the Canadians, Ontario, Township banners
- Provide that the Township participate in the Safe and Well Oxford Steering Committee
