The Harper government's decision to reverse Liberal policy to lower flags on federal buildings to half-mast after combat deaths in Afghanistan has provoked a firestorm of controvery as Bill Curry reports in today's Globe
Ottawa fails fallen soldiers, critics say
Many Globe readers have been
strongly critical
of the government's decision.
Others, including retired Major-General Lewis MacKenzie, the first commander of United Nations peacekeeping forces in Sarajevo, supports that decision. He wrote in the Comment pages of today's Globe that
Respect needs more than a flag
Gen. MacKenzie was on-line earlier today to discuss the issue.
The questions and his responses are at the bottom of this page.
The Harper government's flag decision was announced Saturday, shortly after four Canadian soldiers were killed in Afghanistan.
Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor said his government is returning to a tradition that the Peace Tower flag is lowered to honour soldiers only once a year, on Remembrance Day. "The previous Liberal government broke with this long-standing tradition that confidently brought Canada through its wartime history and instead decided on an ad-hoc basis to lowering the flag of the Peace Tower," he wrote in a letter to The Globe on Sunday night.
"As Minister of National Defence, I can tell you that this ad-hockery unfairly distinguished some of those who died in Afghanistan from those who have died in current and previous operations. Lowering the Peace Tower's flag on November 11th ensures that all of Canada's fallen heroes are justly honoured.'' the letter stated.
In today's paper, Gen. MacKenzie suggests that support for the military can be demonstrated in other, more tangible, ways. "The Canadian military has begun a long-overdue rebuilding process. There is no guarantee that process will succeed. Sympathy for the fallen is gratefully appreciated, but our young men and women abroad and at home need the public behind them in more ways than one."
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Jim Sheppard, Executive Editor, globeandmail.com: Gen. MacKenzie, thank you for joining the readers of globeandmail.com today to discuss the controversy surrounding the Harper government's decision to reverse the previous Liberal policy of lowering the Canadian flag on federal buildings to half-mast when Canadian soldiers die in Afghanistan. You argued in your Comment page article today that this is the right decision, in keeping with long tradition. Even so, many of our readers are arguing today that the Liberal policy should be retained because the flags on federal buildings are lowered when MPs, senators and other prominent Canadians die. Do you see a valid argument here that our soldiers who pay the ultimate price [ Readers: Click here to view photos and profiles of the Canadian soldiers who have died recently in Afghanistan ] should be similarly honoured?
Gen. Lewis MacKenzie: I certainly see the argument, appreciate the concern and respect the intent. However, as the veterans organizations have pointed out, it is important to treat the deaths of all those who voluntarily accept unlimited liability when they join the Armed Forces equally and that is done eloquently on the 11th of November. In fact, I'm pleased to see that the attention paid to Remembrance Day is expanding every year.
I don't believe you are quite accurate regarding the flag protocol regarding federal buildings — for MPs and Senators the flags are only lowered in the riding of an MP and the residence of a Senator.
