For Flag and Country

North Bay city council took two steps last week that stoked the fires of nationalism. In an unanimous voice they approved the placing of an Italian flag in Lee Park as requested by the Davedi Club. In a split vote, the Community Services committee chair took the option to bring forward to council a motion denying free bus passes for our veterans.

It was no doubt a difficult decision for councillors to deny our veterans a bus pass to ride on our under-utilized transit system, but this seems to be an issue, not for poor municipalities like ours, but for the national government. Veterans fought or served for Canada and it should be the nation that looks after their needs in their later years. The trouble is we haven’t looked after our veterans or our soldiers all that well in Canada.

When enlisted men and women had to use food banks to feed their families, it was very obvious that our pay structure for the lower ranks was not what it ought to be. That problem came to light a few years ago and the government did react with modest pay raises. It is hard to value your military in times of peace. We can send our troops to the brown desert dressed like green trees, equip them with old equipment and hope they make it through. Fortunately the forces do get some subsidy from the UN on their foreign missions so their kids can eat back at home.

When it comes to veterans, those who remained in the service may have ended up with a modest pension. Those who suffered injuries get some recompense for loss of limbs, hearing, sight, etc. If you happened to get a dose of Agent Orange or were injected with some experimental drug and suffer the results, that will likely be denied or delayed in the courts until the government can cuts its losses. But when our volunteer forces went to war they were not thinking about pensions or bus passes as they took up the colours. They were thinking about freedom or helping people who could not help themselves.

City council must follow up on their promise to ensure that Veteran’s Affairs is properly looking after all veterans. They deserve our respect and support. Our former MP fought for veteran’s rights and our new MP should be encouraged to follow Bob’s example in his work for veterans.

On the other subject, it would be interesting to see the Mayor’s directive to Community Services on the flag protocol. One cannot simply put national flags up helter-skelter in Lee Park. There has to be an established order where no one country’s flag supersedes another country’s. A straight line of flags causes problems of placement. Depending on which side you stand, the flags facing you could take precedent in opposite order. A circular display around a podium is probably the solution. Of course all flags will have to be the same size so no nationality suffers from flag-envy.

But is it first come, first placed? Incorrect flag protocol will cause political problems not only here but in Legions across the country. Alphabetical order may be the only solution. As long as that doesn’t place France next to Germany. Because the people who are keen on their heritage will remember that France and Germany fought several wars and some of those memories are parts of their old country’s heritage. National flags carry memories, and what for some people is a pleasant memory, others may not share in those happier times.

Similarly a place ought to be left between the Greek and Turkish flags as feeling still runs high at times between those countries. I know Greece and Turkey are not near each other in the alphabet, but not all countries will be represented initially. I am not sure where Councillor Mason would like the old ‘Thistle’ since Scotland and Union have a bit of nasty history. And the Shamrock is another question with Ireland’s history with Britain during the WW II and the present troubles.

Consider the plight of the UN’s latest pariah, Israel. Perhaps the only safe place for that flag would be between the Stars and Stripes and the Union Jack.

As nationalists of all stripes come forward with their funding for their flags, I can foresee a full-time job opening up in the Park’s division. Whenever there is a national disaster around the world, that country’s flag will have to flown at half mast out of respect. The flags will have to be lighted of course since the sun should never set on the raised flag. Otherwise the Park’s employee would be consulting his or her watch every hour and raising or lowering flags as the sun rises and sets around the world.

Tattered or defaced flags will have to be replaced promptly so each funding nationalist group will have to set up a reserve fund that meets with the approval of the budget chief. Flag poles will have to be painted and maintained so they do not fall into disgraceful symbols of our past like some of the aircraft and the one missile we have on display.

What happens when some service group wants to place their flag in the Park? The Air Cadets, Navy League, Rotary, Shrine, or Kiwanis clubs, for instance. The Franco-Ontarian Society, the Knights of Columbus, Wally Mart, Pizza Pizza and MacDonald’s – where will it end? Shorter flag poles may not be enough to satisfy them.

The answer to the flag protocol may have been to advise the Davedi Club to fly the Italian flag at their clubhouse. But I’m sure the Mayor can come up with a solution. Besides, it will give him something less demanding to think about while he awaits the report from the Conservation Authority.