Alberta town passes bylaw to ban decorative flags, crosswalks from government land

By Aaron Sousa Councillors in an Alberta town have become the latest community in the province to ban decorative flags and crosswalks from public land, a move that effectively forbids symbolic artistic statements, such as rainbow-hued Pride crosswalks. It’s a decision opponents say is a step toward erasing the voices of marginalized communities. On Tuesday, Didsbury councillors passed the “public spaces neutrality bylaw.” It restricts the town north of Calgary to only flying government flags and maintaining standardized road and crosswalk markings. Didsbury, a town of 5,200, does not currently have special flags or crosswalks, such as those recognizing the LGBTQ+ community, First Nations or veterans. The bylaw, introduced March 10, was the result of feedback gathered from residents during the election campaign. The decision was close. Mayor Chris Little…

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