Flag Flap

Since this was big news last week, I'm a little late with this one, but a parliamentary inquiry was just decided on yesterday.

The issue was should the Canadian flag on the Peace Tower (at Parliament Hill) be lowered to half mast whenever a soldier is killed overseas? Previously under the Liberal government, it was, but recently when four Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan were killed, Prime Minister Harper decided that this would no longer be accommodated, that they would be recognized during the national day of mourning for soldiers on Novemeber 11th, Remembrance Day.

There were certainly critics of Mr. Harper for doing this, mainly from the opposite side of the house (the Liberals and NDPers). But, surprisingly, veterans groups and many of the families of the slain soldiers are okay with this. They feel that ceremonies during November 11th were sufficient to honour their fallen comrades, sons and daughters.

The Liberals, specifically ex-Prime Minister Paul Martin, asked whether it was the Speaker of the House (a Liberal who must be non-partisan in his administration of the House) who actually had dominion, thus the authority, over whether to lower the flag over the Peace Tower. The speaker, based on his research on the responsibilities of those in question, and applying Parliamentary procedure, ruled that it was the government that was responsible for the raising and lowering of the flag, and the government is led by Prime Minister Harper. Therefore, it is his decision.

After all this political posturing, and some self-reflective thought, as much as it pains me to, I will have to say that I agree with Mr. Harper. Whatever his motivations may be (and some have accused him of taking the American route of downplaying the number of soldiers killed in overseas conflicts, so that his own political popularity doesn't suffer), I believe he is doing the right thing. Especially considering that Veterans groups also support this route.

Let's not cheapen the value of lowering the flag on the Peace Tower each time a soldier dies in conflict overseas. Unfortunately, it may come to a point when the flag will have to be at half mast for the entire year. Instead, let us honour "Our Glorious Dead" on the day that we have reserved for them since 1919, i.e. November 11th. And if you didn't do so before, now more than ever you should wear a poppy to signify your honour and respect for those that have fallen in service to their country, whether you support any of the conflicts or not. Remembrance Day is not a day for political partisanship, or protest. It has one purpose. Please honour that purpose.

Having said all that, the federal government can go one step further to honour the individuals who have sacrificed their lives in the current conflict. I suggest that on the day a soldier is buried, that all the federal buildings in the town, city or county where the soldiers are being buried, should lower their flags on that day. It's the least they can do. This way, it becomes more personalized where a home town can honour one of their fallen sons or daughters.

And this thing about the media showing soldiers on their final journey home in a casket. The military will no longer allow the media on military property to film this, in deference to the fallen soldiers' families, they say. I've seen some of the coverage that has occurred in the past and I would have to disagree with the military (who probably got their orders from the Prime Minister to take this action) on this one. The media has been very respectful. They set their cameras up at a distance, and they do not impose on the mourning families. Surely the military can allow this so the entire country can mourn with the families. Some people have spoken out that they would like to go through a mourning process too. Soldiers have died in service to our country, we should be allowed to pay our respects. If, however, the families do not wish media coverage of the funeral service so that they may have a private ceremony, certainly we must give them that.

Wings Over The World