Great news! Since I reported on Calgary’s bold and terrific policy on banning the flying of foreign flags at its City Hall, two of Ontario’s largest cities followed the lead of these courageous Alberta city councillors: Toronto and Mississauga.
In a 19-7 vote on March 26, 2026, Toronto city councillors voted to enact a policy like Calgary’s. This new policy won’t take effect until December 1, 2026, though. That’s after this autumn’s municipal election, and it falls on the first day in office for the new Toronto city council.
Kudos to Toronto City Councillors Jon Burnside and Michael Thompson for putting forward the motion!
“A flag is supposed to be a symbol of what brings us together, not a focal point of what divides us. And unfortunately, it’s been a focal point of what divides us,” said Councillor Burnside. “I’ve watched riot squads of police officers go up and down Bay Street in preparation for a particular flag raising, and that has to stop,” he added.
Councillor Thompson noted that there were “a lot of geopolitical issues around the world and we’re being asked to take sides.”
“I don’t think it’s our business,” Thompson said, adding that “council is not the place to negotiate or to be involved in geopolitical issues and conflicts around the world.”
The following week, Mississauga city councillors also banned the flying of foreign flags at city hall.
Mississauga’s vote on a motion by Mayor Carolyn Parrish took place on April 1, 2026 – happily, not an April Fool’s joke! – and it surpassed Toronto’s in both timing and resolve. The new Mississauga policy took effect immediately, meaning “no more foreign flags” is now the active policy in Mississauga, applying specifically to “the courtesy flagpole in Celebration Square.” The motion even applies retroactively to any requests that have already been approved.
In addition to the foreign flag ban, the motion that passed in Mississauga also included a ban on “the display of lights associated with national colours (with the exception of those of Canada) on the Civic Centre clock tower.”
As Mayor Parrish noted on the passing of the motion in Mississauga: “Our citizens come from all over the world, leaving conflicts to become Canadians. We welcome all.”
And, so, congratulations are due to these three city councils – Toronto, Mississauga and the first one, Calgary city council – for leading the way!
Now, I recognize that the foreign flag issue is merely “symbolic” and that 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.
Please join our campaign to get YOUR municipality to join Calgary, Toronto and Mississauga city councils to ban the flying of foreign flags at YOUR city hall!