Canadian flag history at National Assembly

Posted By: Canadian Press · 9/17/2012 7:19:00 PM

The Canadian flag was taken down from the Quebec legislature as members of the pro-independence Parti Quebecois took the oath of office today.

The removal of the Maple Leaf is part of a longstanding see-saw ritual: it had been long absent in the legislature but was restored nine years ago when Jean Charest's Liberals took office and had it placed next to the Quebec flag at the Speaker's chair in the building's ceremonial chamber.

It was back down again today as the PQ's 54-member, minority-government caucus took the oath of office in the ornate old upper chamber, now known as the Red Room, and the Quebec Fleur-de-lis was standing alone again.

The PQ takes office on Wednesday, when premier-designate Pauline Marois will introduce her cabinet.

While the Canadian flag was gone, for the Parti Quebecois, there was still no escaping the Queen.

Every member of the PQ caucus swore their oath to the monarch, which is a prerequisite for taking office in Canada. The party had complained during the campaign about the increased presence of the Crown under the Harper Conservatives.


(The Canadian Press)

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  1. abour posted on 09/17/2012 07:45 PM
    The removal of the Canadian flag at the national assembly is a disgrace to all Canadians. Disgusting action from a racist party.
    1. Marc posted on 09/20/2012 07:45 PM
      @abour It's interesting,

      We are called racist, I resent that comment. Than CJAD Voices the opinions of an alledged Murderer that attempted to kill our prime minister...

      You know I have a countless amout of friend in the english community but when I read the Blogs only ROC extremist express there dirty comments. Being a Souvrainiste does not mean i'm racist... The Quebec Patriot Flag is Green(irish) white(french) and red(english) To include all Quebecers English and French That fought against the Crown of england opression. It's possible to talk together without beeing stupid, give me an hour and you will be souverainiste yourself. ;-)

      So Stop With the Racist comment and go educate yourself, start by the Option Nationale You Tube site there it's a good site to learn about independance.

      Inform yourself than comment, our else you look dumb an ignorant.

      Marc
    show more replies
  2. Sam posted on 09/17/2012 07:55 PM
    You know, I have to say I am running out of polite words to describe what I think about this Woman and her band of minions.
    This is outrageous. It's not about being anglo or Franco, its about being Canadian and the last time I checked She, they, and I are Canadian.
    I say we protest.. lets go to the streets, bang our pots and pans, disrupt traffic, cause commotion.. apparently that seems to work for this new "government" to give you what you want.
    Well guess what? I want my Candian Flag displayed and I think we should have a say in her decision to take it down.
    I wish they would do important polls like who things Marios is a douchebag..for one.
    We are Canadian People.. Stand Tall.
    What is sad about this. Quebec is in Canada.. it's a part of Canada. There should be no question about that flag.. And in our own province its been removed. Drive about 90 minutes to plattsburgh and there in front of a grocery store is our Canadian flag.
    Well Quebec.. we have a voice? Let's use it.
    PUT THE FLAG BACK..
  3. AnitaH_3 posted on 09/17/2012 08:06 PM
    THE ABOVE IS AN ABSOLUTE DISGRACE AND SAD TO SAY IT'S LIKELY ON THE BEGINNING!!!!
  4. John Quilliam posted on 09/17/2012 09:14 PM
    Why am I not surprised .
    These are the actions of a demented bunch
  5. Fed up Montrealer posted on 09/17/2012 10:03 PM
    How does our federal government stand for this? it's time Harper stood up for our country and started calling these people out
  6. irene purdy torrance posted on 09/17/2012 10:16 PM
    So the 'Canadian' Flag was taken down. It cheeses me off so bad i can hardly talk. WHY do us Canadians put up with this crap. Who Made Marois God anyways. She does not have a mandate to do such a thing. THIS IS CANADA and until it is NOT the Flag of our country should STAY up everywhere including Pierre Elliot Trudeau Airport and especially in the National Assembly..............Irene
  7. deborah posted on 09/18/2012 05:57 AM
    I have already wrote my MNA and posted on the PQ site to put our flag back. I suggest you all do the same. You can also go on the PQ website and voice your opinion on that. She has no right to ignore our Country we will always be part of Canada and Quebec a Provence.
  8. Curious posted on 09/18/2012 06:58 AM
    Since theirs is a minority government what were the other members doing when the flag was removed? What are they doing now to have it reinstated? What can the public do to recommend (force) they return the flag to the assembly?
  9. ronald kent posted on 09/18/2012 08:08 AM
    All of the other politicians should pin a Canada flag on their chests in protest to the insulting removal of the Canada flag. Something tells me they will not have the courage even to stand up with that small gesture, that's why their losers in the first place.
  10. Navigator_67 posted on 09/18/2012 08:20 AM
    How is it that an official in the CANADIAN GOVERNMENT can take the flag down and it NOT be considered an act of TREASON? This makes no sense to me whatsoever! She should absolutely be tried as a traitor of our country. And then there is this, posted in the Toronto Sun today:

    "Canadians have given Quebec a quarter of a trillion dollars in equalization payments since 1957, half of all the money the program has handed out. Over that span of more than 50 years, Quebec has always been the biggest beneficiary, and has never been a net contributor to equalization."

    How and why has this been done?! You know, at this point I would be extremely happy to let Quebec separate as they aren't really a part of Canada anyway in any way that I can see other than geography. They bring us down, take our money and tramp on our values. I say farewell, shut the borders to all imports and exports out of their "country", stop all these payments we've been making to them and wish them bon voyage! Enjoy your new little dictatorship.
  11. Jon posted on 09/18/2012 08:44 AM
    What an insult to the Quebec based troops who are risking their lives overseas whilst the Canadian flag flies over them. It is done to stir up feelings on both sides of the electorate. By doing these things they just make themselves look stupid (like a child reacts when the candy is taken away from them) and it must have gutted them to have to swear allegiance to the Queen.
    The fact that they did just goes to show how deep their beliefs really are as those who really believed in their cause would never do so. Many of the residents of the Eastern townships are Americans who crossed the border rather than swear allegiance. That is true patriotism.
  12. Eh-La posted on 09/18/2012 09:07 AM
    We should all volunteer as human flag poles and wear the flag at the #assnat every time they're in session.
  13. JohnC_10 posted on 09/18/2012 10:27 AM
    Simply a tasteless act which shows just how willingly disrespectful the PQ will be in order to put their passive-agressive "Sovereign Ideologies" in the forefront of their new political position in the province (yes "province" not "country") and how loosely disrespectful they can be to Quebec-born individuals and allophones who are proud Canadians.

    Way to go Pauline!! YOU ARE PROVING MANY PEOPLE RIGHT... KEEP IT UP!
  14. JohnC_10 posted on 09/18/2012 10:32 AM
    Can someone tell Pauliine.. that if she wants to pull these actions.. to make sure that she is no longer a "Canadian".. meaning the following:

    - Her money no longer reads "Bank of Canada"
    - Her passport no longer reads "Canada" when she travels abroad
    - Quebec no longer relies on any form of Federal Aid / Gov. Funding / Military etc.
    - Quebec residents no longer can rely on any form of a Canadian Pension

    Make sure you mark all these points down Pauline when you write up the "REFERENDUM QUESTION" for all residents of Quebec... and if you get the majority vote.. then you may do as you please.
    1. Richard posted on 09/18/2012 12:38 PM
      @JohnC_10 I agree up until the no pension part...

      I paid into it and I expect to recieve it no matter what......
  15. JohnC_10 posted on 09/18/2012 10:33 AM
    Its time all Allophones, Anglos and Francophones who are against her actions and motives to come forward and take action. We must stand up to such acts and statements!!!
  16. Lou posted on 09/18/2012 11:00 AM
    As much as this disgusts me, there is a chance the more Marois and her bunch egg us on, the more English Canada will become FED UP with the actions of this cultural backwater of a province (that I am SO glad to have left) and demand our OWN referendum to KICK FRENCH KAYBEC OUT! Partition NOW!
    1. richard posted on 09/18/2012 12:41 PM
      @Lou You left!
      Then keep your comments to yourself

      Your ran and left us with the fight for our rights?
      Then you have no say in what happens here
    show more replies
  17. Sandra posted on 09/18/2012 12:16 PM
    What country does Mme. Marois think she is in? Quebec is still a province in Canada last time I checked..... how small minded she is... to be intimidated by a Flag which is waved and accepted with pride around the world. What an idiot! Mme. Marois... us English speaking citizens of Quebec have a right to live here no matter what and removing our beloved Canadian Maple Leaf Flag does not diminish anything from being a proud Canadian... it just shows your intellectual capacity.
    And by the way..you all still have to use our Canadian Money Mme. Marois. Get it CANADA!!!!!!!
  18. Sandra (Chateauguay) posted on 09/18/2012 12:49 PM
    So Mme. Marois is intimidated from our Beloved Canadian Red Maple Leaf Flag. How small minded is Mme. Marois... she still had to pledge an oath to the crown..... that must have turned her inside out. Well.... if she had such a hatred for Canada and for the Maple Leaf.... she should at once.... send her Canadian passport back to Ottawa... and return all of our hard earned tax dollars which makes up her bank accounts and that have "Bank of Canada" written on them..... return them all to our Federal Bank. Mme. Marois... you need help... you seem to be enjoying the luxuries of being a Canadian.... and at the same time.... hating Canada and our beloved flag. You are so confused and really need help.....from what I seen... you are a coward mme. Marois.... afraid of anything Canadian... well Mme. what country is your glorious provence in? You are also making things difficult for your french speaking citizens.... because... when they take their vacations down south to the USA... for certain they have to have knowledge of what you hate so much ENGLISH!... YOU ARE A FOOL MME. A SMALL MINDED FOOL.
  19. Thomas posted on 09/18/2012 01:28 PM
    So she enjoys all the benefits of being in Canada with the generous transfer payments from other provinces and all the high taxes that Quebecers have to pay while she constantly looks for a reason to view Canada as an evil enemy. How about Canada stops providing Quebec with transfer payments for which Quebec receives far more than it pays into it? Then we will see how the PQ’s budget looks like.
    What a hypocrite and a racist. Only in Quebec would this happen. Only in Quebec would you risk getting beaten up for carrying a Canadian flag.
  20. AnnM_6 posted on 09/18/2012 02:15 PM
    Crucifix in.......flag out. How can Marois justify preserving one and dumping the other. Doesn't the Canadian flag symbolize a rich history of culture and tradition that helped form our province (in Canada)? Wasn't that the argument she gave for sparing the crucifix? And while many Quebecers are not Catholics (or Christian), we are all Canadian. Get the flag back! This is Canada!
  21. HerbertT posted on 09/18/2012 02:24 PM
  22. kathy j posted on 09/20/2012 07:15 PM
    Flag rally, Place du Canada, October 28, 1:00
  23. Gary posted on 09/20/2012 07:52 PM
    I was born and raised in Quebec, I love my home town, and consider myself a french canadian. Always have, the only reason she is where she is, is because of the students who are easy to brain wash!!! They think they have won something but the lost will be greater than they/ we have ever seen. Please don't judge every Quebec person for this we are not all the same. Most of us are proud to be CANADIAN in Quebec !! Personnally I am not proud and ashamed of what is going.
    But i am a proud Canadian and always will be.
  24. KathyJ posted on 09/21/2012 09:49 AM
    Grande Manifestation Pour Le Drapaeu Canadien / Rally For The Canadian Flag
    Sunday, October 28 at 1:00pm at Place du Canada
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