LIVERPOOL, NS - The Region of Queens Municipality is looking at the idea of developing a flag-flying policy for organizations that want to raise their flags on municipally-owned flagpoles.
The discussion took place at the committee of the whole meeting Oct. 17, and at the end, councillors agreed to move a policy forward for discussion at a future council meeting.
The discussion stems from the requests the region receives occasionally from community organizations and special-interest groups, requesting permission to fly non-governmental flags on the Region of Queens Municipality’s flagpoles. There’s no policy for this, and requests have been handled on a case-by-case basis.
At the Region of Queens’ regular council meeting Aug. 22, a motion was brought forward and approved that council direct staff to develop a flag policy for the region.
Coun. Jack Fancy, who represents District 5, brought the motion forward. Fancy specifically requested “consideration be given to developing standards for use of the ‘optional’ flagpole, as well as looking at a protocol for half mast.”
The Region of Queens maintains 20 outdoor flagpoles in the community. Thirteen of those poles fly the Canadian flag.
“The single-mast flagpole adjacent to the Liverpool bridge would be an appropriate choice to become the ‘optional’ flag pole, as it is centrally located in Liverpool, and in a heavily visited area for high visibility/exposure of the community group or organization group to be supported, as well as being a flagpole that has flown a variety of flags historically,” the backgrounder, provided by staff to council, reads.
At the meeting, Fancy said he believed groups making flag requests should be provincially or federally recognized organizations.
Coun. Gilbert Johnson, who represents District 7, asked how North Queens could fly a flag somewhere that would give it more exposure.
Coun. Brian Fralic, representing District 3, said communications should play a role in a policy.
“I think that part of this whole thing is making sure that everybody’s on an even playing field, and that there is a communications-strategy tie-in with the flying of the flag because all these groups want to be validated,” he said.
Fralic said he would like to see the communications piece before the policy moves forward.
The flag policy recommendation was on the agenda for the regular council meeting set to take place at 9 a.m. Oct. 24.
