President Steenkamp: Let's reclaim the Canadian flag

You’ve likely noticed that our national flag has been appropriated in the last few weeks in Ottawa and across the country. For this small but vocal group of people, use of the flag is a way to equate their opposition to vaccinations and health measures with the values of freedom and patriotism. It is nothing less than a claim on Canadian identity. Many of us are proud of our flag and what we think it represents – values like peace, tolerance and respect for different cultures. With this in mind, and given that Tuesday was National Flag of Canada Day, I think it’s worth looking at why it is that a piece of fabric can be so inspiring, or so fraught.