Municipal Watch readers have likely seen the excellent news out of Calgary. In December of 2025, soon after Alberta’s municipal elections, the new Calgary city council made a smart, straightforward decision: no more foreign flags flying at City Hall. In a tight 8-7 vote, city councillors, led by the newly-elected Mayor Jeromy Farkas, decided that only the flags of Canada, Alberta, and Calgary itself would be allowed to fly at Calgary city hall.
Soon after his election, Mayor Farkas questioned the policy that allowed flags of any federally recognized nation to be raised at city hall. As the Carney Liberal government in Ottawa had only a month earlier recognized Palestine, it was no surprise that requests to fly the Palestinian flag immediately followed. Mayor Farkas argued these flag-raisings, meant to celebrate something called “diversity,” were now just stirring up division, protests, and extra security headaches.
Bottom line? Calgary banned the city hall’s involvement with any flags other than the national, provincial and municipal flags. This was a win for common sense. Flags matter. They’re powerful symbols of loyalty and unity, not just decorations.
Great move, Calgary!
Here’s hoping more cities across Canada ban foreign flags from public squares.
I mention the situation in Calgary again because it highlights the importance of electing common-sense representatives to the municipal level of government. There was never any chance that a measure this symbolically significant would have ever passed under the council led by former Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek. Thankfully, Calgary voters threw Gondek out in the October 2025 election, elected 10 new councillors to the 14-person city council, replacing the 8 who retired and the two incumbents who were defeated, and resulting in (if the foreign flag vote is an early indication!) a much higher quality bunch of city councillors.
What about your city or town? Is a refresh needed? New blood? Fresh faces? A bit more common sense? When will be the next opportunity for you to pass judgement – and vote! – on your mayor and councillors?
Millions of Canadians will have their chance to vote in a local election this year, in 2026!
Here are the provinces (and one territory) that will be electing new municipal governments this year, 2026:
- New Brunswick: May 11
- British Columbia: October 17
- Ontario: October 26
- Manitoba: October 28
- Prince Edward Island: November 2
- Saskatchewan: November 8/9
- Northwest Territories: December 14
With respect, I suggest now is the time for sensible people to start giving some thought to our local government. It’s time to ask ourselves the common-sense questions, in particular: after the votes have been counted and the results are in, will my local municipal council have a mayor or, at least, a majority of councillors, with the courage to stand up to the woke, virtue-signalling mob on issues such as banning foreign flags on municipal property?
Yes, I recognize that the foreign flag issue is merely “symbolic” and, yes, there are surely “more important issues” to be discussed. Indeed, if you have been following my blog posts this year, you will have read about some of them: climate alarmism, oil & gas advertising bans, the dangers of Net Zero, electric vehicle mandates, the War on the Car, and other extreme green left environmental policies, for example.
But, make no mistake, the symbolism of the foreign flag ban is indeed powerful. Local councillors who aren’t prepared to vote the right way on such a simple issue are very likely going to be “woke” and extremist on a whole host of other issues.
And, so, VOTERS, I implore you to take note and act: demand competence, accountability, and a relentless focus on the basics. Let’s make sure we hold our leaders to that standard on every issue, large and “small.”
We must not waste this huge opportunity! For most Canadians, 2026 represents the most tangible chance to influence politics where it matters most: at the local level.