After years of showing the American flag in the sand inside the West Lincoln Community Center, the local council has voted to eliminate it. The Council of the municipality of West Lincoln ratified a previous decision of the Committee on Monday night that would see the flag of the United States withdrawal from the “facilities owned by the municipality”, to be Rehung “when necessary.”
Despite the broad language in the motion, the discussion among the councilors indicated that it was inspired by a flag that has been hanging in the sand for years.
“The American flag is permanently set at our community center … 365 days of the year,” said Smithville William Reilly councilor at the meeting of the Municipality Corporate Services Committee on February 18, when he presented the motion. “We don’t even have an ontarium flag.”
The decision occurs when the president of the United States, Donald Trump, advances with a plan to collect a 25 percent rate on most Canada imports from next week. Speaking to journalists on Monday at a white house conference with the French president, Trump said the work to implement those rates is “moving very quickly.”
“The rates advance in time, according to time. This is an abuse that took place for many, many years. Tariffs will advance, yes, and we will invent a lot of territory,” Trump said.
Lawyer Reilly made it clear that he was not proposing a ban on the flag of the United States, which would still fly to respect US teams, but said he does not belong to a permanent place on the wall.
“Our southern neighbors do not necessarily respect us,” he added.
The motion approved by little the stage of the committee in a vote of 4 to 3, but was ratified at the Monday Council meeting together with the rest of the Committee’s report. It was not clear when the flag would be demolished. CBC Hamilton tried to get to Reilly to comment on Tuesday, but was not successful before our deadline.
Barrio 1 couun. Jason Trombetta, who voted in favor, said he has heard of other sands where US flags were being destroyed.
“We know that other buildings are having problems at this time [such as] People throwing gum or a cup of coffee, “he said at the committee meeting, noting that their vote was the goal of guaranteeing security.
We need to send a message that “Canadians fights,” says Minister Joly
Some council members expressed concern that the elimination of the flag could offend Americans living in the area, or Canadians with US relatives. Gainsborough Coun. Joann Chechalk worried him that he could instill the anti -American feeling in youth athletes who use the sand.
“I would not like to see that children, without understanding, did not like other children in a line that does not exist,” he said. “This is not a political incursion, this is our sand and our children. This is our future.”
Mayor Cheryl Ganann said he worried that the movement could attract negative attention.
“If we silently do something with our flag, that is one thing, but I don’t want to see that it becomes a controversy,” he said.
Speaking to London journalists after meeting with British officials, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly, said Canada will hit the United States if Trump advances with tariffs.
She said that the Federal Government created a plan to slapped the retaliation tariffs in US goods worth up to $ 155 billion when Trump launched the first salvation in this commercial war, and Ottawa can return that list if she does her threat well.
“We need to stay strong and send a clear message that the Canadians fight,” said Joly.
