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Ottawa Citizen

Weston: Get the vulgar "F--- Carney" flags off of Parliament Hill, RCMP

Last Friday, I confronted a protester displaying a 'F— Carney' flag directly in front of the Prime Minister's Office, that historic 1880s building serving Liberal and Conservative leaders since 1975. When he refused to remove it, I gave him two minutes before I'd do it myself. Article content Article content An RCMP officer intervened. Despite my outrage at seeing such vulgarity on the grounds of our highest democratic office, the officer explained the flag was 'private property' and he wasn't 'authorized' to remove it. He mentioned protesters had conducted such activities 'for five years.' As a Vancouver visitor, I was appalled. Is this the capital's welcome to tourists? Article content Article content The officer asked me to stand down to avoid an incident before the Prime Minister emerged. Out of respect for the RCMP — descendants of the Northwest Mounted Police, a Canadian institution that brought civility to our untamed frontiers — I complied. The flag stayed. Article content I am a former Conservative MP and my objection transcends partisan politics. I wasn't defending Carney or his party. I was defending the Office of the Prime Minister itself. Article content This protester wouldn't target a 60-year-old Ottawa father named 'Carney' if he weren't Prime Minister. He was degrading our nation's highest office using hallowed public space. This distinction matters for democracy's health. Article content I champion free expression and founded the Canadian Constitution Foundation to defend Charter rights. In 2022, the Foundation successfully defended a homeowner's right to display a 'F— Trudeau' banner on her private property against municipal bylaws. While crass, and in my opinion an ineffective way to conduct political discourse, such expression on private property may be protected. Article content Article content But rights come with responsibilities and limits. The right to profane expression stops at our most symbolic public spaces. The Prime Minister's Office at 80 Wellington St. isn't just any building. It's a National Historic Site and Classified Federal Heritage Building, representing 140 years of Canadian history and governance. Article content Article content The grounds of democratic institutions aren't neutral venues for unrestricted vulgarity. They embody our collective governance. Protecting such displays signals that we don't value the institutions safeguarding our freedoms. This self-loathing invites international disrespect. Article content Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes noted you can't falsely shout 'Fire!' in a crowded theatre. On Liberty author John Stuart Mill observed freedom ends where it harms others. Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl warned: 'Freedom without responsibility is dangerous.'