West Lincoln, Ontario may be a town of just 15,000 or so people, but the tiny Niagara Region municipality has put itself on the map this week by taking a symbolic stand against U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent hostility toward Canada.
A Monday night vote by local council — in which all members sided unanimously — determined that the border area town will no longer display American flags at institutions like its community centre, where the star spangled banner has hung alongside the Canadian flag for a number of years now.
“I feel disrespected by our American neighbours. It kind of strikes a nerve that here we are in our country, in our facility, proudly displaying their flag,” one councillor, William Reilly, said when the idea to get rid of the flag was first proposed last week.
“We have an American flag that seems to be fixed in our community centre and we don’t even have an Ontario provincial flag that’s up even one day… I don’t think it has earned the right to remain in our facility 365 days a year.”
The flag in question, hung in the West Lincoln Community Centre. Photo from Councillor William Reilly.
The motion specifies that staff will be directed “to remove American flags affixed to township owned facilities to be brought out when required” and “to review the corporate flag policy to ensure the township is compliant with the provisions therein.”
Instances of “when required” would be, for example, when West Lincoln hosts sports teams from south of the border. Councillors have clarified that this is not an outright ban of the U.S. flag, but a statement, and also a preventive step to avoid potential vandalism given everything that is going on.
Prior to Monday’s council decision, Reilly solicited public opinions on the matter on Facebook, where some residents encouraged the township “be more Canadian” and leave it alone, and others expressed very strong support of ditching the American banner.
“Even if our friend to the south of the border was not stirring the bucket, this would still be the correct decision. Why would we fly the flag of a foreign nation unless there was a delegation from that nation here in West Lincoln on an official visit?” one person wrote.
“Right now, I’m choosing not to support America’s economy,” wrote another who said they backed the choice. “It’s not about the people — it’s about our economy. We could be hospitable when having American teams visit, but we don’t need the reminder in front of us all the time.”
“Currently, a great decision. Ordinarily I have no issue with the U.S. flag being flown and hopefully we can do it again,” wrote another. And a fourth: “It’s sad that it has to come to this but take it down and let it be done.”
A Facebook post gauging the community’s sentiment on the matter after an earlier committee meeting when the idea was first floated, and leading up to the council vote to remove U.S. flags from Town buildings on Monday.
While Trump reiterated this week that he still plans to impose 25 per cent tariffs on goods from Canada in the coming days to the detriment of our economy — after again condescendingly suggesting we become the 51st state of America — the tensions have brought about a few positive glimmers.
There has been a renewed sense of patriotism and unity from coast-to-coast, especially after Canada’s defeat of the U.S. in the 4 Nations hockey championships, as well as small acts of support from the American public.
Over the weekend, one couple from Michigan paid for the meals of everyone at a restaurant they were visiting in Windsor, Ontario as a sort of apology for the anti-Canadian discourse.
