Draft Municipal Flag Policy - Public Consultation

The Municipality of Chatham-Kent, at the request of Council, will be introducing a new policy governing the flying of flags, both permanent and temporary, at Municipal sites.

As a group that has flown a flag previously at the Municipal Civic Centre, your feedback on this new policy is being requested.

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that flags at the Municipality of Chatham-Kent sites are flown and displayed properly, and to ensure the dignity and respect for who the flags are flown.

The Municipality of Chatham-Kent will fly flags on its premises on a permanent basis and on a temporary basis to mark special occasions. Flag-raising ceremonies enhance public awareness of activities such as national days, cultural events, and fundraising drives. They encourage support from members of the public, and benefit and enrich the community. A flag raising is the ceremonial raising that can occur with or without an accompanying ceremony.

Through this policy, Council authorizes decisions on the flying of flags on the Community Flagpole be made at the discretion of the Manager, Corporate Communications in accordance with the following criteria:

The approval and denial of temporary flags will be based off the following set of protocols:

Flags will be approved and raised temporarily, on a newly established community flagpole, at the Civic Centre (Corner of King St W and Second St.) where the flag flying is related to:

  • a gesture of respect and friendship, on the direction of the Mayor. The Municipality of Chatham-Kent will fly the appropriate flag on the occasion of a visiting dignitary; the flag will be flown for the duration of the visit to the Civic Centre;
  • groups and organizations whose mandates, programs or activities:
    • are directly related to the Municipality of Chatham-Kent by way of a relevant funding or partnership agreement; or
    • correspond with relevant days of awareness, celebration, importance, commemoration or promotion, as recognized by the Ontario Provincial Government and/or the Canadian Federal Government, or a Ministry or Department thereof.

Requests will not be approved where the flag flying relates to:

  • Political parties or political organizations;
  • Religious organizations or religious events or celebrations;
  • Celebrations, campaigns or events with no direct relationship to the Municipality of Chatham-Kent;
  • Celebrations, campaigns or events contrary to Municipal policies or by-laws;
  • Celebrations, campaigns or events intended for profit making purposes;
  • Attempting to influence government policy; or
  • Supporting discrimination, hatred, violence, prejudice or where it is deemed to be discriminatory under the Ontario Human Rights Code.

The Municipality will not fly the flag of a group or organization whose undertakings or philosophy are contrary to the Municipality of Chatham-Kent’s policies or by-laws, including but not limited to espousing hatred, violence, or racism, or are politically or religiously motivated or represent other individual convictions or deemed to be discriminatory under the Ontario Human Rights Code. Flags will not be flown for businesses or commercial enterprises.

The Municipality of Chatham-Kent, at the request of Council, will be introducing a new policy governing the flying of flags, both permanent and temporary, at Municipal sites.

As a group that has flown a flag previously at the Municipal Civic Centre, your feedback on this new policy is being requested.

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that flags at the Municipality of Chatham-Kent sites are flown and displayed properly, and to ensure the dignity and respect for who the flags are flown.

The Municipality of Chatham-Kent will fly flags on its premises on a permanent basis and on a temporary basis to mark special occasions. Flag-raising ceremonies enhance public awareness of activities such as national days, cultural events, and fundraising drives. They encourage support from members of the public, and benefit and enrich the community. A flag raising is the ceremonial raising that can occur with or without an accompanying ceremony.

Through this policy, Council authorizes decisions on the flying of flags on the Community Flagpole be made at the discretion of the Manager, Corporate Communications in accordance with the following criteria:

The approval and denial of temporary flags will be based off the following set of protocols:

Flags will be approved and raised temporarily, on a newly established community flagpole, at the Civic Centre (Corner of King St W and Second St.) where the flag flying is related to:

  • a gesture of respect and friendship, on the direction of the Mayor. The Municipality of Chatham-Kent will fly the appropriate flag on the occasion of a visiting dignitary; the flag will be flown for the duration of the visit to the Civic Centre;
  • groups and organizations whose mandates, programs or activities:
    • are directly related to the Municipality of Chatham-Kent by way of a relevant funding or partnership agreement; or
    • correspond with relevant days of awareness, celebration, importance, commemoration or promotion, as recognized by the Ontario Provincial Government and/or the Canadian Federal Government, or a Ministry or Department thereof.

Requests will not be approved where the flag flying relates to:

  • Political parties or political organizations;
  • Religious organizations or religious events or celebrations;
  • Celebrations, campaigns or events with no direct relationship to the Municipality of Chatham-Kent;
  • Celebrations, campaigns or events contrary to Municipal policies or by-laws;
  • Celebrations, campaigns or events intended for profit making purposes;
  • Attempting to influence government policy; or
  • Supporting discrimination, hatred, violence, prejudice or where it is deemed to be discriminatory under the Ontario Human Rights Code.

The Municipality will not fly the flag of a group or organization whose undertakings or philosophy are contrary to the Municipality of Chatham-Kent’s policies or by-laws, including but not limited to espousing hatred, violence, or racism, or are politically or religiously motivated or represent other individual convictions or deemed to be discriminatory under the Ontario Human Rights Code. Flags will not be flown for businesses or commercial enterprises.

Page last updated: 19 Apr 2024, 03:53 PM