Speaker just killed the flag war
And a "Premier in a pear tree"
ABOVE THE FOLD
Premier DOUG FORD is ruffling feathers south of the border (and even his own home in Etobicoke) ahead of a First Ministers’ meeting in Ottawa — but first, closer to home: the Speaker has effectively done away with ceremonial flag-raisings.
FLAG FLASHPOINT — DONNA SKELLY’s last major act of the year — her first as Ontario’s only woman Speaker so far — is to do away with flags on the courtesy pole on the South Lawn, where the Francophone banner will fly forever instead.
Officially: “Making the Franco-Ontarian flag a permanent fixture on the courtesy flagpole does not prevent any other community from coming to Queen’s Park to celebrate their culture, heritage or identity,” she said in a release. “The Legislature remains a welcoming place for all Ontarians.”
Skelly intimated as much in a sprawling year-ender interview with me, confirming rumours that started after some drama over the PCs blocking of the planned Palestinian hoisting. Her new rules required all three…