Enough With Foreign Flags

Just recently, the city of Charlottetown engaged in a flag raising ceremony for the Ukrainian flag at City Hall. The gusto with which the City and the media seemed to push this issue appeared odd to me.

Not to offend anyone, but we must be realistic; looking through the lens of geo-politics, the residents of Charlottetown live in an insignificant province inside an insignificant country.

Why even waste your time with Ukraine?

I took a mental note that perhaps next year at around the same time I would write an article looking at this issue.

Then shortly after on social media I noticed some fuss about the Vietnam flag being flown at City Hall as well. Ok, now this is concerning. I did some research and the list of foreign flags being flown at City Hall is extensive. So far these are the ones I believe have been flown thus far. Lebanon, India, Uganda, Vietnam, Ukraine, UK, Nigeria, and Ghana while some light show ceremony was also performed for the Philippines.

Is the idea that every foreigner that resides in Charlottetown should get their chosen flag raised? For instance, should ethnic Russians in PEI get to fly the Russian flag (there are over 500 of them in PEI by the way)? If not, who is going to adjudicate which foreign flags get flown and which do not? The Immigrant and Refugee Association of PEI claims they have signed up clients from 96 different countries just last year. At this rate, deciding which flags are going to be flown could become a full-time job for the Council.

It seems obvious that having an increasing number of ethnicities vying for the privilege to fly their flag from the City has the potential to incite ethnic conflict in the future. The city of Toronto has just earlier this year made it their policy to no longer raise foreign flags due to this very issue. I would suggest that the City take the same approach and focus on issues that really matter to residents.

Every time I walk downtown, I can usually spot several homeless people and every once in a while, a person that is both mentally ill and homeless. I suggest that councilors focus on issues such as this and not monuments to Ukraine or foreign flags.

If city councilors wish to focus on foreign policy for Canada perhaps running to become a member of Parliament is a better option.