A contentious motion to discontinue the seasonal flying of the U.S. flag in Sidney at Beacon Wharf and Seaport Park was defeated at a town council meeting on May 12.
The motion by Mayor Cliff McNeil-Smith at an April meeting sparked a council discussion Monday, regarding the relationship between Canada and the United States, particularly in light of recent political tensions.
Mayor McNeil-Smith cited President Trump's "hostile" rhetoric toward Canada, including threats of trade tariffs and suggestions of annexation, as the primary reason for his motion.
"I’m opposed to flying a U.S. flag on town property while Donald Trump is being hostile in his way towards Canada...Canadians do not agree with his hostility to us as a sovereign country," he said.
McNeil-Smith acknowledged the matter’s sensitive nature for some Canadians with American family and friends.
Coun. Chad Rintoul supported the motion, emphasizing the perceived threat to Canadian sovereignty.
Coun. Steve Duck echoed these sentiments, stating the flag represents the current U.S. government's decisions.
“It’s not going to change how people feel coming to Canada, but it will send a message of what we think of how the decisions made south of the border are being made by the current government,” he explained.
However, the motion was ultimately rejected in a 4-3 vote.
Councillors opposing the motion expressed concerns about the message its removal would send to American visitors and the potential negative impact on the local economy.
Coun. Sara Duncan argued that removing the flag would conflate President Trump's actions with the values of the United States as a nation.
“I can't imagine a stronger signal we could send than to say that we support the American people and the values that are currently under attack by Donald Trump than to continue flying that American flag and making clear that we understood what it stood for,” she said.
Coun. Scott Garnett worried about sending an unwelcoming message, emphasizing the importance of neighbourly relations.
“Taking a flag down is more something Americans would do if it's reversed,” he said. "That’s not my kind of Canada. That’s not the way I view things."
"We want our American neighbours to come here," added Coun. Terri O’Keeffe. "Flying their flag is a symbol that they are welcome here, and it will be beneficial for us if word gets out to wherever they came from that Sidney is welcoming, you should go there and spend your money.”
Coun. Richard Novek highlighted Sidney's reliance on the service industry and American tourism, echoing concerns raised by the Sidney Business Improvement Area (BIA).
The BIA, representing local businesses, had urged council to keep the flag flying, emphasizing the crucial role American visitors play in supporting the local economy during the summer months.
"We want our American friends and neighbours to feel genuinely welcomed in our community," BIA executive director Morgan Shaw said.
The U.S. flag is typically flown in Sidney from May to October alongside the Union Jack, the provincial flag and the Town of Sidney flag.
Despite feedback from some residents citing concerns over recent political tensions, the council's decision to maintain the flag display serves as a gesture of goodwill between the Canadian and American people.
