Not changing a 23-year-old policy that would have allowed the Pride flag to fly in Petawawa has disappointed many members of the community, including ordained leaders of the Anglican Church in the Ottawa Valley.
While most councillors (4 of 7) voted to change the two decade old proclamation policy, the motion to reconsider failed, requiring a two thirds majority.
The letter from local faith leaders says the fact that the Mayor and two other members of council voted to maintain the current policy, which prevents the raising of the Pride flag, is deeply concerning.
Petawawa Mayor Bob Sweet did not return a call from myFM for a comment regarding the letter.
All Saints Anglican Church in Petawawa, a few steps away from Petawawa Town Hall, will be flying a Pride flag over the coming weeks as a display of solidarity with the LGBTQ2S+ community.
Major employers in the Petawawa area, such as the Canadian Armed Forces base, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, Algonquin College, all schools with the Renfrew County and District School Board, along with neighbouring municipalities such as Pembroke, Deep River, Renfrew, Arnprior, Horton and McNab/Braeside have previously raised the Pride flag.
The restrictive proclamation policy in Petawawa adopted by council in 1998 declines to support any public proclamations, save those which pertain to matters which are solely and completely within the mandate of council.
In Pembroke, the proclamation policy allows council to recognize the symbolic gesture of endorsing special days, weeks, or a month in support of various community groups and their causes. Requests for proclamations in Pembroke shall be processed by the CAO/Clerk on the condition the request is made by a local organization (being defined as a group having an official presence in Renfrew County). Currently the City of Pembroke has a proclamation on their website supporting National Indigenous History Month and National Seniors Month.
The letter signed by local faith leaders, addressed to Petawawa Mayor Bob Sweet reads as follows:
As ordained leaders of the Anglican Church of Canada serving in the Ottawa Valley, we are writing to express our profound disappointment with the recent decision by the Petawawa Town Council not to amend existing municipal policies that preclude the flying of the Pride Flag by the Town of Petawawa during annual Pride Month festivities. At our services of ordination as clergy, each of us as Anglican priests took a vow before God “to love and serve the people among whom we work, caring alike for young and old, strong and weak, rich and poor.” These Christian vows of love and service include loving and serving our LGBTQ2S+ neighbours, too many of whom continue to face systemic discrimination, prejudice and intolerance within our local communities.
While we are encouraged that four members of the Petawawa Town Council voted to review the two decades old policy that prevents public proclamations and flag raisings by the town, the fact that you and two other members of council voted to maintain the current policy which prevents the raising of the Pride Flag is deeply concerning to us as local faith leaders. Numerous leading community groups and employers, including Canadian Forces Base Petawawa, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories and Algonquin College Waterfront Campus, together with all local schools of the Renfrew County and District School Board, and the Municipalities of Pembroke, Renfrew, Arnprior and Deep River have raised the Pride Flag this June, celebrating respect and inclusion in our local communities throughout the Ottawa Valley. Your vote to not permit the raising of the Pride Flag by the Town of Petawawa clearly sends the opposite message to members of the LGBTQ2S+ community and allies. It is our sincere hope that you and the two dissenting members of Petawawa Councill will prayerfully reconsider your recent votes to maintain the current policy, keeping in mind the fullness of Jesus’ command to “love your neighbour as yourself.”
As a display of our parish’s solidarity with LGBTQ2S+ residents of Petawawa and beyond, a Pride Flag will be flown at All Saints Anglican Church, Petawawa, a few steps away from Petawawa Town Hall, throughout the coming weeks. We pray that the presence of the flag at the church will be a visible reminder to members of our community of God’s unconditional love for all people.
Yours sincerely and faithfully,
Rt. Rev. Michael Bird – Incumbent
Rev. Canon Susan Clifford – Associate Incumbent
Rev. Matthew Brown – Associate Incumbent
Rev. Gillian Hoyer -Associate Incumbent
Rev. Richard Durrett, CD – Interim Assisting Priest
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Petawawa council votes to not change proclamation/flag raising policy