Council wants more information before considering any changes or revisions to the City of Windsor's flag policy.
During Monday's meeting, council voted to defer an administration recommendation as more information is sought around how the policy would work.
The current flag, building illumination, and proclamation policy was approved by the council in 2022, and following a scheduled review, administration is now recommending city council approve several proposed revisions to limit the flags that may be raised to the Canadian, Ontario, City of Windsor, and the Franco-Ontarian flags while also providing flexibility to recognize visiting official delegations.
According to the report, the new policy would also fully eliminate the illumination and proclamation programs.
Several people from the 2SLGBTQIA+ community were at Monday's council meeting to address the proposed changes over concerns it would impact the raising of the rainbow flag which is raised each year as part of Windsor-Essex Pride Fest, a city sponsored event.
The recommendation states that a flag intended to recognize a significant event or activity sponsored or supported by the city including special commemorations, coupled with other available methods of recognition including building illumination would be allowed under the revision.
When the decision to defer the issue was raised, two members in the gallery began shouting 'shame' before being escorted out by police and city security.
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens says the proposed changes in the policy will not impact the LGBTQ community's ability to raise the rainbow flag and do what has always been done.
"There's no impact on that. That's what we're trying to tell you that we're deferring this back and even if council accepted this proposed amendment to this policy, it does not impact the flag raisings that already happen for LGBTQ moving forward," he says.
Dilkens says members of the LGBTQ community were welcome to come back and address council when the matter is heard by council.
"There's no impact with your respect to your ability to raise the flag in the past and continue raise the flag going forward. So motion to defer. The clerk will do the work with respect to looking at the Ontario policy and with respect to some of the issues that have been brought up and report back to city council in either a June meeting or a July meeting before the August recess," he says.
Several reasons are being cited for the proposed changes, including the staff time required to vet each request and the potential for reputational risks if mistakes are made.
Since the current policy was adopted, a total of 425 applications for illumination, proclamation, or flag raising have been processed. Of these, 345 were approved, 79 denied, and 1 withdrawn by the requestor.
Ward 1 Councillor Fred Francis says this is for more information for council and nothing changes until then.
"I'm against it. Maybe some others on council are against it as well. No one is homophobic here. We just want all the information before we make the best possible decision. So please trust in that. We'll see you back here either next meeting or next month. Nothing changes until that. We need all the information in front of us. I hope that helps appease any concerns," he says.
LGBTQ community advocate Mel Lucier, who was prepared to speak before council on the issue, says for them to defer is important because they see it as a matter to discuss further and protect the different groups that want to raise a flag.
"For them to want to review it and make it clearer because the wording was vague, I think is really important. I respect the process, you have to respect the process, it's democratic. It's going to come back to the table and I'm going to be here to speak," says Lucier.
Under the current policy, a request is denied if it includes matters of political controversy, ideological or religious beliefs, or individual conviction; it contravenes corporate policies or bylaws; it defames the integrity of the City of Windsor; it is intended for commercial or profit-making purposes; or it is intended to influence federal, provincial, or municipal government policy.