Cornwall Dropping Ball on Half Mast Flags. By Jamie Gilcig 021419

How sad is it when a City can’t handle what is one of the most respectful signs a community can make on the passing of someone that has contributed locally or on a larger scale to society?

It’s not rocket science. In Cornwall for some strange reason, the city is running its own defacto news service via Bob Peters and Kevin Lajoie.

When news of someone worthy occurs they should be making sure that the flag goes to half mast. It’s not complicated or expensive.

Yet right now it has become a council issue looking for a cop out instead of our well paid staff doing their job professionally. IE, someone drops the flag for a set period of time, and then has it raised.

Frankly any other solution is dereliction of duty and disrespect to those, who through their dedication, are worthy of the honour.

Let’s get things right instead of yet another city hall led embarrassment to this community. And let’s see our Mayor and CAO show some leadership instead of wasting City Staff work time and council.

If we mean the respect then we should show the respect. It’s not a burden. It’s not something to minimize, and shame on whomever at City Hall that instigated such nonsense.

And if our Sunshine list staff really wanted to get it right they have no further to look than Mayor Watson and the City of Ottawa:

Half-masting of flags

The half-masting of flags is an act of honour expressing a collective sense of sorrow shared by all citizens. It is in this context that the City of Ottawa has developed the following guidelines that will determine the half-masting protocol and procedures to be adopted and implemented in a consistent and appropriate manner.

The City of Ottawa will fly its flags at half-mast in the event of a death or to commemorate a solemn occasion. Flags will not be flown at half-mast for individual City of Ottawa employees, unless the employee dies in the line of duty or by reason of the position he or she occupies within the City of Ottawa.

The flags will be lowered in accordance with this protocol, or in circumstances not identified herein, at the direction of the Mayor. In the event that the Mayor is not available to consider the half-masting of flags for circumstances not identified herein, the City Clerk and Solicitor will have the delegated authority to decide on the half-masting of flags.

In accordance with this protocol, or in circumstances not identified herein, in consultation with the Mayor and/or the City Clerk and Solicitor, the Chief of Protocol will provide the appropriate instruction to lower the flags.

The position of the flag when flying at half-mast will depend on its size, the length of the mast and its location; but as a general rule, the centre of the flag should be exactly halfway down the mast.

On the occasions requiring that flags be flown at half-mast, all flags in a group or those that are together shall be flown at half-mast. In the case where a foreign national flag or a flag of a charitable or non-profit organization is being flown, the appropriate Embassy and organization will be contacted by the Office of Protocol to inform them of the half-masting. Should they wish to have their respective flag also flown at half-mast, we will do so; otherwise, their flag will be removed.

To commemorate the following occasions, flags will be flown at half-mast on an annual basis from sunrise until sunset at all City of Ottawa buildings that have flag poles:

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