Flag Flap

Pretty soon the National Press Gallery will resort to name calling to express their displeasure with the Conservative Government's recent changes to their communications strategy. Until then, the media will make cheap shots reporting on how the government has no remorse for our fallen soldiers by not lowering the flag on the Peace Tower.

What complete nonsense. For decades, there has been a very clear policy dictating the circumstances under which the Canadian flag may be lowered. It was only under Paul Martin the flags were lowered on an ad hoc basis to mark the death of a Canadian soldier.

I, for one, am very glad the practice has been ended. Lowering the flag does not provide any added comfort to the families of fallen soldiers, it only leads to a greater possibility of offending the men and women who serve. Would Canada lower the flag only for soldiers serving overseas? What about a soldier who dies from a training accident on base in Edmonton? Is his or her life or service to Canada any less valuable to the nation? The practice of flag lowering on the Peace Tower for individual soldiers should never have started in the first place. So far, the veterans' association, the Toronto Star, Globe and Mail and the Sun all endorsing the move.

It seems the CBC hasn't caught on yet. Last night's CBC National broadcast had Paul Hunter reporting on the flag flap with quotes from the Liberals and NDP denouncing the move. Layton naturally told the media that the move was the result of the Prime Minister mimicking US President George W. Bush. What? The opposition is now name calling?

The CBC story looked really cheap and ill conceived. National reporters know that opposition MPs will give reporters whatever quote they want.

You just need to ask a leading question...