Inside Regina's last-minute decision to cancel a Palestinian flag raising

CBC

29-01-2025

Then-mayor Sandra Masters told city staff she'd respond to questions on the cancellation, but never did
In the days leading up to a planned raising of the Palestinian flag at Regina city hall, city officials received a barrage of emails from the public urging them to cancel the event.
A cache of internal documents obtained by CBC News through a freedom of information illustrates a sustained campaign against the flag raising, which was to happen on Nov. 15, 2024.
"This is going to cause division in our city," wrote one person, whose identity is redacted.
"I do not agree with this as this is a public space and not a political forum," wrote anothe r in a redacted email.
Along with the vocal opposition to the event, city officials received at least four threats and multiple images of dead bodies.
It's not clear whether the people sending the images and the threats were in favour of the event or wanted it to be stopped. Many details in the documents are redacted.
What is clear is the decision to cancel the event came at the direction of then-mayor Sandra Masters.
"The event has been cancelled for tomorrow at the direction of Mayor Masters," wrote Jennifer Johnson, the city's deputy city manager of communications, service Regina & tourism.
CBC News has tried to uncover the details of what would be one of Masters's final acts as mayor.
However, the records released in response to a freedom of information request are heavily redacted due to "advice, proposals, recommendations, consultations or deliberations involving officers or employees of the" municipal government.
Flag policy
At the heart of the controversy is the City of Regina's protocol and procedure for raising another country or organization's flag.
Under that policy, there is an online form that asks the group's name and reason for the flag-raising, which is then reviewed by the office of city clerk Jim Nicol to make sure the criteria in the guidelines are met.
The clerk's office won't approve flags from organizations considered "controversial, contentious or divisive," but the policy does state that "commemorative celebrations" of the independence or national days of other countries "will be approved" unless a similar request has been made within the same year.
Timeline becomes clearer
Masters's decision to cancel the event appears to have come at the last minute, according to every piece of information available.
The city did not announce the decision until 3:52 p.m. CST on Nov. 14, the day before the event.
Nicol had already held a press conference at 1 p.m. that day to discussing the results of the municipal election held the day before.
At the news conference, Nicol was asked about the flag-raising policy. At no time did he mention Friday's event had been cancelled.
The first reference to the event being cancelled comes in an
Among the recipients are high-ranking executives at the City of Regina who worked to refine a statement that would be issued to the public just a few hours later.
"To be clear — the mayor has seen this? Or had it read out loud to her?" Johnson asks.
Masters's office would ultimately sign off on the statement.
Documents show that Masters, the outgoing members of council, then-mayor-elect Chad Bachynski and the incoming members of council were informed of the decision and provided with a copy of the statement.
Despite the cancellation, more than 100 people would show up to city hall on Nov. 15.
WATCH | Protesters upset by cancelled Palestinian flag raising at Regina city hall:
Media Video | Protesters upset by cancelled Palestinian flag raising at Regina city hall
Caption: Protesters gathered at Regina city hall Friday, the day a Palestinian flag was to be raised before outgoing Mayor Sandra Masters had the event cancelled.
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Unclear what power Masters had to make decision
The current policy does not contain a provision allowing the mayor to unilaterally cancel a flag raising event.
It's not clear how or why Masters was able to make that decision.
"The Mayor confirmed she would handle any media if it comes in," Jennifer Johnson wrote.
Masters's office did not respond to a request for comment from CBC News on Nov. 14.
A few days later, Bachynski would be sworn in as her successor.
Future of flag-raising policy up in the air
The entire controversy may not have happened had Regina city council under Masters acted quicker to adopt a new policy put forward by Nicol.
Nicol's new policy would restrict flags being flown outside city hall to the Saskatchewan flag, the Union Jack, the flag of the City of Regina, the Treaty 4 flag and the Métis flag, with few exceptions.
The ceremonial flagpole would only be used to promote charitable or non-profit organizations like the Red Cross or The Girl Guides. The only exception would be if an accredited ambassador was coming to city hall to meet with members of council, in which case their country's flag could be flown.
The previous iteration of council didn't get to the recommendation in the months leading up to the municipal election.