Calgary mayor proposes ban on raising other nations’ flags at city hall
Global News
Farkas' urgent motion comes after a request to raise the State of Palestine’s flag outside Calgary city hall was approved back in September.
Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas is moving to end raising national flags outside city hall as a community group is set to raise the Palestinian flag there for the first time this weekend.
Farkas announced Thursday on social media that he intends to introduce an urgent motion next week that aims to amend the city’s flag policy so that “national flags will no longer be raised at city hall.”
He noted the change would “apply equally to all countries,” if approved by city council.
“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,” Farkas said in a statement.
“These events, even when well-intentioned, increasingly risk becoming flashpoints for conflict and for the alarming rise in in antisemitism and Islamophobia we’re seeing in our city.”
Under the City of Calgary’s flag policy, residents can request the raising of national flags of countries recognized by the federal government on that country’s national day.
Farkas noted city council does not have the legal authority to determine which countries Canada recognizes.
According to the City of Calgary, a request to raise the State of Palestine’s flag was received on Sept. 24, three days after the federal government announced Canada would recognize Palestinian statehood.
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