A Sarnia councillor is seeking a policy change that would allow the lowering of the Canadian flag at City Hall for extended periods of time in certain cases.
Brian White says when there is an act of terrorism, a mass killing, or act of violence where members of an identifiable group are killed on Canadian soil, he would like the flag to fly at half staff until the completion of either a national day of mourning or the final funeral service of the victims.
He's hoping for healthy debate at city council's meeting Monday.
"I'm certainly open to the discussion and I hope that's what we have at Monday's council meeting is a discussion on how this should best be implemented," says White.
Mayor Mike Bradley prefers maintaining the current policy that operates on a case by case basis.
"We've very sensitive to the issue," says Bradley. "Last year the flag was lowered 16 times for former city employees, five times based on Federal protocol and in June each year it's lowered, as are others across the country, in honour of the victims of terrorism."
Bradley says the flag was lowered Thursday in honour of the six people killed in the mosque shooting in Quebec City and is at half staff today in honour of a former city employee.
He says it wouldn't be possible to honour certain individuals if the flag is lowered for a week or two at a time.
