Toronto Star: Ottawa advised not to lower flag for dead soldiers

[tuvor]

OTTAWA–An expert panel has advised cabinet to oppose a move to lower the Canadian flag on the Peace Tower whenever a soldier dies in Afghanistan because it would debase the honour.

http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/407748

(So much for "supporting the troops," those damn honour-debasers.)

[mynameisearl]

1. I found this on View from the Edge

If Canada had this tradition from its beginning, when we went into WWI, we would have started lowering the flag with our first casualty. Canada has lost some 103000 soldiers, just in the two 'Great Wars' alone. At one day per soldier, PM Robert Borden would have lowered the flag to half staff in 1914, and it would have remained at half staff for the next 282 years .

The fair way to honour the Canadian soldiers that fall overseas is by observing the Rememberance Day ceremony. On the at 11:11 on the 11th day of the 11th month, it makes good sense to lower the flag on the Peace Tower, and silently thank all those who have given their lives, and who will give their lives. That is the appropriate time to do it for all soldiers. It honours them all equally, without political purpose .

[daleo]

3. Different eras deserve different treatment (it can be argued)

I am not a strong proponent or opponent of the flag lowering tradition, but I think it is a mistake to focus on the high casualties of WW1 and WW2. But times change, and what is appropriate can change with the times.

For example, my university has a policy of lowering the flag for the deaths of students or staff:

"In Memoriam
The University of Alberta has a tradition of lowering the University of Alberta banner to the half-mast position as a sign of mourning at the death of a current undergraduate or graduate student, faculty or staff member, professor emeritus, serving member of the Board of Governors or University Senate. The banner remains at half-mast for two days."

This policy would have been very extravagant during the war years (many hundreds of U of A students interrupted their studies to serve in the forces and were killed) or during the flu pandemic of 1918. But it is quite appropriate for the current situation, when deaths are fairly infrequent. So it is with the army in Afghanistan now.

A fair compromise might be to lower the flag on any given day when soldiers are killed (or when the announcement is publicly made), even if it is more than one soldier. Granted, that may have meant the Peace Tower flag would have been down for much of WW1 and WW2, but that hardly seems like it would have been inappropriate anyway.

[tuvor]

2. CBC: Tories set to lose Peace Tower flag-lowering vote

The House of Commons is expected to pass a Liberal motion on Wednesday that would require a moment of silence and the lowering of the flag above the Peace Tower on any day a Canadian soldier is killed.

If it is passed, the Conservatives are likely to ignore the motion, which both other opposition parties have indicated they will support.

"I think it is the least we can do to show our respect for them and their families," Liberal MP Larry Bagnell told CBC News on Tuesday.

"We believe it's a sign of respect," NDP Leader Jack Layton said. "Canadians feel the same."

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/04/01/flag-soldiers.html