NOTE: THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN EDITED FROM A PREVIOUS VERSION THAT STATED IT IS ILLEGAL TO BURN THE U.S. FLAG.

OTTAWA—Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government wants to make sure that citizens have the legal rights to wrap themselves — or their homes — in the Canadian flag.

So it is lining up behind a proposed bill that makes it more difficult to ban, limit or otherwise disrespect the Canadian flag, as part of what appears to be a more concerted, Conservative focus on the symbols of governance around the capital and the country.

Heritage Minister James Moore wasn’t able to say on Wednesday what forms of display would be deemed as “desecration of the flag” under the proposed law, which has been put forward by a Conservative backbencher from the GTA, John Carmichael (Don Valley West.)

In front of a table laden with flags and flag memorabilia in the Commons foyer, Moore hailed the bill as a measure to reward Canadian patriots with legal protections “to ensure that Canadians . . . have clear certainty, that if they wish to show pride in their country — to display the Canadian flag — they are free to do so, without any intimidation by condo boards or other neighbours.”

There have been a few cases in recent years where condo owners have been forced to take down Canadian flags, including a case in Mississauga, where Rose Wittemann and Richard Field were ordered to remove a flag from a tree outside their townhouse unit. Condominium management complained that the flag had been “tossed in the tree like a rag” and was dragging on the ground.

Flag desecration has been illegal at times in the United States, but Canada has had no such law until now.

Still, the Canadian flag has been a politically loaded symbol in the country for decades, from the heated battle over its design in the 1960s to the ongoing sovereignty debate in Quebec, where the choice between the blue-and-white provincial flag and the red-and-white maple leaf is often viewed as a statement of national attachment.

In the mid-1990s, in the heat and aftermath of the last Quebec referendum, the then-Liberal government of Jean Chrétien chose to fight on this symbolic ground with the creation of an annual “Flag Day” and the distribution of thousands of Canadian flags. The effort was spearheaded by then-heritage minister Sheila Copps, who is now running for presidency of the Liberal party.

Moore mocked that program on Wednesday, saying that the Conservatives were not trying for a reprise of that flag promotion.

“What we believe in is choice,” Moore said.

“What the Liberals did was buy a bunch of flags, throw them at Canadians in a desperate attempt to try to hold on to government. We don’t think that’s the right way to use Canada’s symbol of our flag. What we’re doing here is underlining and protecting the rights of Canadians to celebrate the Canadian flag in the way that they choose, not the way in which Sheila Copps tries to impose on them.”

But the current, interim Liberal leader, Bob Rae, is accusing the Conservatives of obsessing over frills and symbols when they should be focused on the economy. “I just think these guys are obsessed with symbols,” Rae said.

“It’s always a sign of what I call changing the channel.”

In the past couple of months, the Conservative government has announced that Canadian forces would have the title “royal” returned to their names, and portraits and artwork of the Queen have been put up around Parliament Hill. Additionally, Ottawa’s old city hall building was named after former prime minister John Diefenbaker.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Moore denied charges that the flag law was a diversion, or an attempt to enforce patriotism among the citizenry.

“This is not in any way taking away from our principal focus which is the Canadian economy and the big issues … that are dominating the minds of most Canadians.”

Read more about: