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An urgent notice of motion to debate banning the raising of national flags<\/a> at Calgary city hall was narrowly voted down during a Tuesday council meeting.<\/p>\n The proposal, brought forward by Ward 13 Coun. Dan McLean, called for council to discuss amendments to Calgary’s flag policy during its scheduled public hearing meeting as an “urgent business” matter. Those amendments would include removing sections that allow flags of other countries to be flown at city hall.<\/p>\n “What was once intended as a unifying and symbolic gesture has increasingly become a source of division in our community,” said McLean.<\/p>\n The urgent notice of motion was defeated 8-7, with councillors primarily debating the urgency of the motion rather than the proposed amendments. <\/p>\n McLean said he plans to bring the motion forward to council’s executive committee but didn’t confirm when. <\/p>\n Mayor Jeromy Farkas, who has been vocal about his support for banning the raising of national flags at city hall, said discussing the matter in Tuesday’s meeting under “urgent business” would ensure council’s decision is “made in the most fair and equitable way possible.”<\/p>\n “If\u00a0we were\u00a0to accept\u00a0this\u00a0[motion] at a later\u00a0meeting, we\u00a0risk potentially\u00a0having dozens\u00a0of additional applications come in under\u00a0the\u00a0current\u00a0rules,” Farkas said. “Doing\u00a0it\u00a0that way would create a really\u00a0uneven\u00a0playing field where\u00a0some\u00a0communities might\u00a0receive\u00a0recognition under the\u00a0old system, while others would fall\u00a0under the\u00a0new\u00a0one.”<\/p>\n Farkas pointed to the fact that two national flag raisings, commemorating Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Statehood Day and Albania’s National Independence Day, are still scheduled for later this month.<\/p>\n “It would really expose council\u00a0to both\u00a0political criticism and\u00a0potential\u00a0legal scrutiny\u00a0about why some\u00a0groups benefitted\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0timing and others did not,” Farkas said.<\/p>\n According to the mayor’s office, Calgary city hall has flown 36 national flags this year.<\/p>\n Ward 2 Coun. Jennifer Wyness, who voted against the motion, questioned its urgency and the political motivations behind it.<\/p>\n “This is purely because of the Palestinian flag raising, let’s not kid ourselves,” she said.<\/p>\n WATCH | Palestinian flag raised as supporters question timing of motion to end national flag raisings: First Palestinian flag raising at Calgary city hall could be the last<\/p>\n New Mayor Jeromy Farkas is pushing to end all international flags from being raised. At the Palestine flag raising on Saturday, some were questioning the timing.<\/p>\n Under Calgary’s previous council, a Palestinian flag raising was approved for Nov. 30. That was later changed to Nov. 15, the date of the Palestinian Declaration of Independence, to align with city policy.<\/p>\n In September,\u00a0Prime Minister Mark Carney\u00a0announced that Canada\u00a0would\u00a0recognize\u00a0Palestinian statehood<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1763543661_173_default.jpg\")
Jeromy Farkas, Calgary’s 38th mayor, expressed his support for ending the raising of non-Canadian national flags at city hall in a social media post on Nov. 13. He said such a ban ‘would apply equally to all countries.’ (CBC News)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1763543661_890_default.jpg\")
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