Flags at Half-Mast, or High-Flying?

[FiveParadox]

Should buildings belonging to the Parliament of Canada, and the Government of Canada, fly flags at half-mast when members of the Canadian Forces are killed on-duty? I would suggest that yes, they should. However, the Conservative Party of Canada has decided to cease this practice (notwithstanding the fact that the defense headquarters lowered their flag anyway).

 

[Jersay]

If the military does it in Afghanistan as well as other places. Be respectful and do it yourself you lazy politicians. How hard is it to get someone out there to lower a flag for mourning. Other countries do it.

 

[#juan]

No!

If the mission goes the way it is expected, the flags on the parliament bldgs might spend a lot of time at half mast. It is enough that the flags in the home towns of soldiers killed in action are lowered, and that we remember them on Nov. 11..

 

[Jay]

I voted yes.

 

[FiveParadox]

#juan, according to the Canadian Heritage Web site (or my understanding of its documentation, at the very least) the flag cannot be lowered for more than five days at a time. As I believe someone pointed out in a lower thread, constant lowering of the flag is seen as disrespectful.

However, in a time where casualties abroad are not a common occurence (meaning that flag lowerings would likely not overlap, and the flag would remain at full mast a majority of the time), I don't think that it would be entirely inappropriate.