TheReview Wednesday, January 30,1991 — A9
aI EE SN SS nS]

Continued from Page A6
margin.

Alas, what became of demo-
cracy?

Bill Honey
Saanichton

Flag protocol

Editor:

Part of the excitement of visiting
our new Port of Sidney is the
multitude of colorful flags and
burgees flown by visiting, vessels.

The port responds with a num-
ber of flags on the wharf, the
Marina office and the lookout
point flagpole. Everyone seems to
have his/her own theory of how
these flags should be displayed but
the official authority in Canada is
the federal Department of the
Secretary of State.

It’s pamphlet, Cat. No. S2-74/
1978 establishes that:

1. No flag should be flown
above the Canadian Flag;

2. Flags flown together should
be approximately the same size;
flown at the same height, and the
Canadian Flag should be given the
“place of honor”.

That’s where it gets compli-
cated:

a) On a ship the place of honor
is the stem;

b) Foreign vessels may wear the
Canadian Flag in Canadian waters
as a courtesy. In this case the flag
is flown from the foremast.

c) On shore in a group of flags
the Canadian Flag should be on
the left as seen by spectators in
front of the flags. It can also flank
both sides of a line of flags. If
there are only three flags, the
Canadian Flag shall be central.

d) In parades, the Canadian Flag
should be at the centre front of the
marching right.

e) Half mast really is half mast
— the centre of the flag is placed
half way up the flag pole.

3. The Canadian Flag should be
the first to be raised and the first to
be lowered.

4. The flag need not be lowered
at night but it is customary to do it
at sunset.

Other countries have different
protocols.

Now, the fun flags. There are all
sorts of affiliation flags, pennants
and burgees. (A burgee is a trian-
gular or swallow-tailed flag). By
custom, only one is flown on a
staff or halyard.

The Canadian Power and Sail
Squadron is easily recognized and
is very common locally. It is a red
maple leaf on blue and white
stripes. It means that someone has
passed a course of seamanship and
probably knows what he is doing.

Nearby may be flown a yacht
club burgee. They are very handy
at “social hours.”

“Private signals’ range from
skull and crossbones to family
crests. These are frowned upon in
some social quarters.

Anyhow, each flag tells a story.
If you see an interesting one that
you don’t recognize, ask the skip-
per. That’s why he flew it!

’ Eric N. Fisher
Sidney

Democracy or
dictatorship

Editor:

I was glad to hear people
express their views at a recent
public hearing was held on
whether or not to rescind the

bylaw permitting Mr. Berglund to
build the Brentwood Lakes Golf
Course on Maber Flats.

The purpose of this hearing was
to hear the support and opposition
to this bylaw. Although I do not
have an accurate count, I believe

the majority of people present and _

letters submitted to the municipal
clerk indicated opposition to the
new bylaws and support for the
golf course.

While I obviously did not agree
with everyone, I was glad to hear
people express their views and
learn for myself what the majority
of people really think.

I believed we were exercising
our rights and duties as taxpayers
and citizens when we gave our
opinions on an issue that affects us
all.

I admire the many speakers who
had the courage to stand up and
speak their minds so council could
hear what the public has to say.

However, I was shocked and
dismayed to learn that at the
previous Monday’s council meet-
ing a motion was passed to write a
letter to the provincial department
of agriculture and all municipal
councils in this province asking
them to remove golf course desig-
nation as an approved use of ALR
land.

What this surprising piece of
information leads me to believe is
that some of the council members
had no intention of listening to the
public. Their minds were made up
well in advance and no amount of
public support of this golf course
could change their minds.

If I understand what is happen-
ing here, it looks like dictatorship
and not democracy, and that wor-
Ties me.

Cory Porter
Central Saanich

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