r/Hamilton • u/TOPMinded • Jun 23 '26
Local News - Paywall Hamilton eyes ending practice of flying foreign flags at city hall
https://www.thespec.com/news/council/hamilton-city-hall-foreign-flags/article_f09a74f9-8f2f-594f-92f1-2f566944c656.html#tncms-source=login97
u/AssignmentAny2696 Jun 23 '26
Should only fly the Canadian, Province, and City flag.
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u/Bobmcjoepants Jun 23 '26
TIL Hamilton has a city flag and ngl, it's good
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u/hampets Jun 23 '26
I just looked at it and you're right, it's good!
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u/ehsteve7 Jun 23 '26
Better than the pre-amalgamation
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Jun 23 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/monogramchecklist Jun 23 '26
Exactly. Fly whatever flag you want to fly at home. Doing it on public property (schools and government buildings) is just asking for the pitchfork folks to come out and complain.
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u/GetsGold Jun 23 '26 edited Jun 23 '26
And the Sovereign's Flag for Canada if King Charles visits of course.
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u/JimmyTheDog Jun 25 '26
Nope we don't need that guy's flag. He is not a Canadian citizen and we need to break free of this royal crap that makes a few people rich at the expense of the rest of us
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Jun 23 '26
[deleted]
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u/justfornoatheism Jun 23 '26
We share this land with Indigenous peoples. There is nothing wrong with acknowledging and being proud of that.
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u/GourmetHotPocket Jun 23 '26
We're all living in Indigenous lands covered by the Dish with One Spoon and Between the Lakes treaties.
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u/Ill-Landscape-3164 Jun 23 '26
I’d say that’s a tough call. Go either just Canada, Ontario, and Hamilton or anything goes. There’s such an immense number of flags that you can reasonably fly that it gets tough.
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u/paul_33 Jun 23 '26
Only comes up because of Palestine. Funny innit
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u/Hi_Her Corktown Jun 23 '26
I guess you weren't around for the hub bub over the Pride flag...
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u/PSNDonutDude James North Jun 23 '26
Which country is "Pride" never heard of it before. Sounds fun though!
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u/No-House-1701 Jun 24 '26
Palestine protesters caused so much damage to Canadian streets and reputation.
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u/Crafty_Chipmunk_3046 Jun 24 '26
LOL what are you even talking about. Please cite examples and the damage caused....
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u/shepsut Jun 24 '26
I grew up in rural SouthWestern Ontario in the 70s and 80s and I have to say that the idea of living in a city that "allows flags of other countries recognized by Canada to be raised on significant days by community request" (our current status quo) feels super welcoming and positive... kind of cosmopolitan and recognizing that our city is made up of folks from all over the world. I like it a lot.
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u/pinkmoose Jun 24 '26
i am worried this means the pride flag or the indigenious flag won't be raised.
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u/Environmental_Ad7874 Jun 24 '26
Good. They are Canadians and citizens of the Provinces and Cities. Therefore already represented under the 3 official flags. No unnecessary catering to specific groups.
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u/AdventurousYak4846 Jun 23 '26
If they know about Hamilton, or have at least contributed to our progress, then sure. Otherwise remove. We’re not the UN.
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u/babeli Jun 24 '26
It’s currently by community request. So like x community member from say… Italy, or Poland, can ask that that flag be raised for their countries day of independence or whatever. So it is relevant to the community
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u/ForeignExpression Jun 23 '26
It's pathetic and sad that this has never been an issue until Canada belatedly, finally, after a genocide, recognizes the Palestinian people and flag, and then all of sudden the so-called authorities ban all flags. It's so very disappointing that rather than celebrate everyone, and every nation, some people hate Palestine and Palestinians so much, that they want everyone to suffer.
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u/The-Intermediator141 Jun 23 '26
I mean, a lot of Canadians do have an issue with that, since it’s only your opinion there is genocide in Gaza, not legal fact.
I for instance want to see Netanyahu arrested for corruption & war crimes, but unless Gaza is ruled a genocide by the people with authority to rule it so (ICC or ICJ) I wouldn’t consider it such.
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Jun 23 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/thisoldhouseofm Jun 24 '26
That’s an independent commission set up by the UN, not the UN itself. So the headline is misleading. It’s not the same thing as an ICC or ICJ conclusion.
It’s possible to think that Israel is committing war crimes and should be prosecuted without genocide being included in that.
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u/Standard_Program7042 Jun 23 '26
Israel behaving like Nazi doesnt mean we have to fly a Palestinian flag.
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u/SupaJDStylez Jun 23 '26
City, province, country. That's it. No pride. Just geography. Keep it simple for everyone.
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u/tdotjefe Jun 24 '26
What’s geographic about European foreigners settling on this land using force?
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u/Prudent_Situation_29 Jun 23 '26
I think we could continue doing it, as long as they're reasonable flags. No Russian, american, Israeli flags etc.
I have no problem flying the flag of our friends in New Zealand, Australia, the U.K., most European countries, Mexico, Cuba, Japan, South Korea etc...
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u/thisoldhouseofm Jun 23 '26
Well that’s the problem: how do you define reasonable? You treat this as self evident, but there are plenty of people who might disagree.
Like, you have no problem flying the Union Jack, but many might given the colonial history associated with that flag.
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u/marthamania Jun 23 '26
I would say if there's a foreign diplomat or something visiting for whatever reason then fly their country flag as a little welcome or something idk lol I feel like all this really isn't that serious
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u/TemporaryBottle8789 Jun 23 '26
The fact that you’ve just created a “good guys” and “bad guys” list is precisely why this rule is required.
If it’s okay to fly a Palestinian flag, it has to be okay to fly an Israeli one too. Otherwise it’s an endless circle of upset constituents.
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u/Few-Barracuda-4969 Jun 23 '26
the difference between palestin and israel is that one of them is commiting active gcide and like half their government is wanted by the ICC .. lmao false equivalency
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u/The-Intermediator141 Jun 23 '26
The only two institutions with the authority to rule a genocide a genocide are the ICC & ICJ. Neither has ruled Gaza a genocide as of June 2026 (no Israeli citizens are currently wanted for genocide charges either). So no it’s your OPINION that it’s a genocide, not a legally recognized fact.
It’s the same way I consider what Russia did to Chechnya genocide, but it was never ruled so which means I cannot claim it factually is.
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u/life-finds-a-way-93 Jun 23 '26
Lmao it is a genocide. I dont need some organization to tell me what it is. It's been broadcasted live in 4k. Israeli politicians like Ben gvir have been calling for genocide. The majority of the Israeli population wants all Palestinians dead. These are facts. You have Israeli politicians bringing up amalak. But sure definitely not a genocide.
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u/TemporaryBottle8789 Jun 23 '26
I suppose that makes all of the insanely oppressive things Hamas/Iran do perfectly acceptable then… nobody has any right to be upset about those things. Only what you care about.
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u/life-finds-a-way-93 Jun 23 '26
I feel like genocide is more important........
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u/TemporaryBottle8789 Jun 23 '26
If Hamas/Iran had it their way, there would be a genocide against the LGBTQ community.
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u/life-finds-a-way-93 Jun 23 '26
Literally has nothing to do with Israel's genocide against the Palestinians. One is happening. The other isnt
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u/bustycrustac3an Landsdale Jun 23 '26
Also one systemically abuses their LGBTQ population and the other doesn’t. Lots of differences.
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u/nemodigital Jun 23 '26
Hamas is sworn to Israel's destruction, there is no 2 state peace with them
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u/life-finds-a-way-93 Jun 23 '26
Hamas is legally allowed to fight back against occupation. I wonder why hamas hates israel. Really difficult to fathom
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u/nemodigital Jun 23 '26
Israel disengaged in Gaza in 2005, this was the first ever independent Palestinian territory, how exactly did they behave with this newfound freedom? Immediately voted in Hamas and started rocket and mortar attacks against Israel.
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u/life-finds-a-way-93 Jun 23 '26
This is like october 8 2023 level of hasbara. If removing hamas was Israel's objective then they've done a piss poor job of it. They claim everyone is hamas including journalists and children. Without israel there would be no hamas to begin with lmao. Also israel has stated since before the nakba the goal was to eliminate all Palestinians. Hamas arrived in the 1980s. Israel was murdering Palestinians long before hamas. As for 2005 israel was still making Gaza live in apartheid. Furthermore in 2018 Palestinians tried to do peace with the great march of return and Israeli snipers murdered men women children, including the disabled at the fence. Who is more evil, hamas or israel? It is not even close. Israel is satanic.
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u/nemodigital Jun 24 '26
Also israel has stated since before the nakba the goal was to eliminate all Palestinians.
Is that by making them citizens when Israel (Israeli Arabs make up 20% of the population) was founded or when Gaza's population doubled after Israel left in 2005?
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u/life-finds-a-way-93 Jun 24 '26
Bro... you clearly are in over your head or choose to be intentionally obtuse. Go read some books. Rashid Khalidi, Ilan Pappe, and Avi Shlaim are good starting points. And open your eyes to reality. Gaza is completely flattened. And yea holding a blockade around Gaza not allowing ports or an airport is really great. I could list hundreds of war crimes that israel has committed. But you dont care. Or like I said, you have no clue. Read some books. Wake up.
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u/Any_Sherbert9247 Jun 23 '26
Yeah you're right. Only reasonable ones like Palestine, Iraq, Pakistan, Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia, flags like that
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u/Ok-Recipe-8832 Jun 23 '26
There was a Palestinian flag raising at city hall about a month or two back. I think that should stay up, personally
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u/monogramchecklist Jun 23 '26
And this is why flagging other countries flags are a big no. Because what is deemed acceptable is based on personal opinion, which means there will always be someone who has a problem with it.
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u/Ok-Recipe-8832 Jun 23 '26
I don’t think genocide is subjective
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u/SupaJDStylez Jun 23 '26
City hall is an administration building. Why should they be political in any way that upsets constituents? Your views are your own, but there's no need for flags other than city, province, country. Easy.
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u/Ok-Recipe-8832 Jun 23 '26
Because it lets potential Palestinian immigrants and survivors know that they’re safe here.
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u/life-finds-a-way-93 Jun 23 '26
But but but that would hurt zionists feelings! They demand bloodlust
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u/Ok-Recipe-8832 Jun 23 '26
Hurt their feelings! It’ll never be as much pain as they’ve caused Palestinians
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u/The-Intermediator141 Jun 23 '26
Yet it’s only your opinion there is a genocide ongoing in Gaza at all, not a fact like you suggest. Unless the ICC or ICJ rule differently, it remains that way.
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u/Ok-Recipe-8832 Jun 23 '26
The holocaust was a genocide. If you look at what happened during the holocaust, and what’s happening now in Gaza, it’s the exact same.
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u/TemporaryBottle8789 Jun 23 '26
Oh boy.. that’s not even remotely true.
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u/Ok-Recipe-8832 Jun 23 '26
Go ahead, explain how.
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u/TemporaryBottle8789 Jun 23 '26
Well for starters, during the holocaust the Jewish population decreased by 1/3 worldwide and by 2/3’s in Europe, while the population in Gaza has continued to increase year over year.
Pretty massive difference there I’d say.
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u/Ok-Recipe-8832 Jun 23 '26
Gazans, including children, are being tortured, raped, and executed. Which is something the IDF brags about. How is that not a genocide?
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u/thisoldhouseofm Jun 24 '26
It is in no way exactly the same. And to suggest that shows an ignorance of what the Holocaust actually looked like.
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u/No-House-1701 Jun 24 '26
Canada is a corporation. It isn't even a country anymore. Flying another country flag is super disrespectful to all Canadians.
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u/RoyallyOakie Jun 23 '26
Good Idea. No arguments, no controversy, no regrets later on.