‘Not about being disrespectful,’ Barrie mayor orders all U.S. flags be removed from municipal buildings

Reaction to tariffs has been fast and swift from businesses to consumers, and Barrie’s mayor is taking action.

Barrie’s mayor has ordered the removal of all American flags from municipal buildings, including arenas, in response to the tariffs imposed on Canadian imports.

On Tuesday, Mayor Alex Nuttall announced staff would have all U.S. flags removed from city-owned facilities by the end of the day.

“It’s inappropriate for the flag of another country that’s threatened the sovereignty of our country and the livelihoods of our people to be flying inside of our facilities,” Nuttall said in a video posted to social media.

The Barrie mayor made sure to clarify his intent behind his decision.

“This isn’t about being disrespectful,” he said. “This is about ensuring that our young people and our citizenry aren’t being plagued with the U.S. flag in the midst of all this turmoil.”

U.S. President Donald Trump imposed tariffs of 25 per cent on Canadian goods, and a 10 per cent tariff on energy, a move that local business leaders call “a scary situation.”

According to the Canadian Chamber’s Business Data Lab, the City of Barrie ranks 19th on a list of 41 municipalities that will be impacted by tariffs.

Nuttall says the stars and strips flags would not fly inside city-owned facilities unless things change south of the border.

“If there is a time where we get through these difficulties and the relationship is restored then we can determine at that point if it’s appropriate to put them back up,” Nuttall added.

“The reality is that we live in Canada. We’re an independent country. We have self determination and freedom, and the only flag that should be flying inside our facilities is the Canadian flag,” the mayor stated.

Trump’s tariffs came into effect at midnight on Tuesday.

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