![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775107361_511_awZCW3rPmWvxPqZHnBCKLu.jpg\")
<\/p>\nForeign nations will no longer be honoured through ceremonial flag raisings on the grounds of Mississauga City Hall<\/p>\n
The move has been adopted by city council based on a motion put forward by Mayor Carolyn Parrish.<\/p>\n
Only the Canadian flag and those representing community organizations will be flown.<\/p>\n
\u201c(The issue has) recently become a source of controversy and at times division within the community, and is now taking up significant staff time and incurring legal costs,\u201d the mayor said as part of the motion.<\/p>\n
Mississauga will also eliminate the practice of displaying lights associated with the colours of other countries on the city\u2019s clock tower.<\/p>\n
The move follows that of Toronto and Calgary, two other cities that recently decided to fly only the Canadian flag because of the divisiveness the foreign flag ceremonies have caused among several communities, especially those between the warring factions of Israel and Palestine.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-30-at-1.55.02-PM-1024x513.png\")
<\/p>\n
Mississauga has also had to deal with numerous complaints following separate flag-raising events<\/a> for India and Pakistan.<\/p>\n INsauga.com first raised the issue in December when it asked in a readers\u2019 poll: \u201cShould municipalities in Canada be raising the flags of other countries?\u201d<\/a>\u00a0Of more than 4,200 responses, 78.48 per cent said they don\u2019t think municipalities should raise the flags of other countries.<\/p>\n The poll results prompted some Mississauga councillors to reconsider the city\u2019s flag-raising practice.<\/p>\n Mississauga has approved raising more than 25 flags and lighting the clock tower over 175 times annually to recognize a wide range of nations, communities and causes, according to information provided by the city.<\/p>\n The mayor took to social media last night explaining that ceremonial flag raising \u2014 which takes place in Celebration Square \u2014 and clock tower lighting were originally intended for charities and associations and now will continue to be used for those purposes.<\/p>\n \u201cOur citizens come from all over the world, leaving conflicts to become Canadians,\u201d the mayor wrote on X, explaining the rationale for the change.<\/p>\n Exceptions to the new rules will be for cultural celebrations such as Carassauga and\u00a0sports gatherings such as FIFA World Cup events.<\/p>\n While many online commenters were quick to praise the news, some questioned the timing of the ban, pointing out that the flag of Israel was scheduled to be raised on April 22 to mark that country\u2019s date of independence.<\/p>\n That event will no longer take place as the ban will apply to any flag requests that have already been received by the city.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Today Council approved the immediate cessation of raising national flags of countries other than Canada on the city flagpole originally intended for charities and associations. Our citizens come from all over the world, leaving conflicts to become Canadians. We welcome all. Come\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/p5irFxEiYD<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Mayor Carolyn Parrish (@carolynhparrish) April 2, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n