Taber council split over rainbow flag
TOWN WILL ALLOW FLAG BEHIND ADMIN. BUILDING
The Taber Equality Alliance’s rainbow flag will not be flying from the town’s main flag pole at the entrance to the Administration Building in mid-June, following a split decision by town council.
The group had requested Taber council’s support for hosting a ceremony in front of the Administration Building utilizing the town’s main flagpole for a Pride flag raising that would coincide with a planned Taber PrideFest event on June 12, with the intention of having the flag displayed at that location for the remainder of June 2017.
At their March 27 regular meeting, council voted 5-2 against a recommendation to support the request. Coun.(s) Rick Popadynetz and Laura Ross-Giroux were the sole votes in support of the motion.
In a followup motion, town council voted 4-3 to authorize the flying of the Pride flag on the town’s flagpole behind the Administration Building. Taber Mayor Henk DeVlieger and Coun.(s) Andrew Prokop and Jack Brewin opposed the motion.
Prior to both motions, Brewin requested that each vote be officially recorded in the minutes of the meeting.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Jayce Wilson spoke about his struggles with depression and gender identity. Wilson identifies as transgender and said his road to self-acceptance has been filled with setbacks.
“The first time I attempted suicide, I was 10 years old,” he said. “I had been led to believe that how I felt was wrong and sinful. I felt a great deal of shame for feeling things I did not understand or (couldn’t) control.
“It has taken a long time, but I have now finally been able to learn to love and accept myself. Not as a boy or a girl, but as a being. I’m now OK with being transgender and wear it as a badge of honour.”
DeVlieger was against the motion, citing tradition and a lack of inclusion.
“At the present time at our front, we fly three flags, which is our Canadian flag, the Alberta flag and the Town of Taber flag, and of course the M.D. flag,” he said. “The reason being that the Canada flag represents all Canadians, the Alberta flag represents all Albertans, and the Taber flag represents all the Taberites, on an equal basis. That is the reason why we fly these flags, and I think as far as I know, at this time it’s never been any different flags.”
Administration stated for the flag to be located on one of the poles in front of the Administration Building, the group would need to secure the consent of the M.D. of Taber as well as the Town.
Wilson said if there were problems securing that permission, the town’s rear flag pole would be an acceptable solution.
But council previously made an exception in mid-2016 to fly a Japanese flag during Cornfest in recognition of a visit by Consul-General Kunihiko Tanabe of Japan.
In early May 2011, a previous council made the decision to fly a ‘Day of the Miner’ flag to recognize past coal mining heritage.
In both resolutions, the decision did not include an official direction to consult the M.D. of Taber for their consent to fly either flag — although consent may have been secured in an unofficial capacity.
Coun. Randy Sparks said he could disagree with the beliefs held by the group but still be accepting of them.
“There’s plenty of confusion, misinformation, and strong opinions about your group,” he said. “People don’t understand what you’re all about, and you can come and shake your heads and say, ‘Put that flag up there.’
“And the flag should probably go there, because you’re very passionate about what you believe in, and we as individuals need to be accepting of your beliefs and what you have to say.
“But that doesn’t mean that I agree, but I can be accepting. That doesn’t mean someone’s a bad person who wears the rainbow, because they’re not. But at the same time, the flags out front here are the flags of our country, our province, and our town.”
"We’re all equal in our country. I fully accept we have to accept each other, the way that we are,” said DeVlieger. “But I also represent the Town of Taber, and the people that are here, and we have to make a wise decision. I feel that I cannot vote in favour of this.”
Sparks asked the delegation to be accepting of the decision by town council with regard to use of the town’s rear flag pole.
"I know it’s an uphill battle, when you can come out here, and wear the shirt, and put yourselves out there — that’s not a bad thing, that’s a good thing. If you have to have your flag here, where it’s above all the buildings and out there for everyone to see it, please be accepting of that.”