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McLeod presents Peace Flag to Legion

Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo MP Cathy McLeod made a stop at the Royal Canadian Legion in Barriere last week to present the Branch with a Canadian Peace Tower Flag from Ottawa.
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MP Cathy McLeod presents a Canadian Peace Tower Flag from Ottawa to the Royal Canadian Legion in Barriere. Accepting the honour on behalf of the branch were (l to r) second vice-president Vern Buker

Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo MP Cathy McLeod made a stop at the Royal Canadian Legion in Barriere last week to present the Branch with a Canadian Peace Tower Flag from Ottawa.

Mcleod said the flag came about at the request of Barriere resident and Branch veteran Jim Hodgetts who attended the Nov. 11, 2010, Remembrance Day Ceremonies in Ottawa. While there he asked the MP if a flag could be obtained for the Barriere Legion?

“You asked, and I aim to please,” said McLeod, noting the flag was flown on Nov. 2, 2010, and it is the first one she has obtained, and the first one for this riding. The flag dimensions are 230cm x 460cm.

The Peace Tower Flag can be requested by any household in Canada, but the approximate waiting period is currently 27 years.

The Peace Tower flag is changed every day, Monday to Friday, except on statutory holidays and days when it is flown at half-mast. For safety reasons, if there are poor weather conditions such as a snowstorm or high winds, the flag is not changed.

A government employee changes the Peace Tower flag each day. Before climbing to the top of the Peace Tower, he unfolds the flag to ensure its quality, and then refolds it and places it in a bag. A folded flag weighs around 2.3 kg. He then takes the elevator to the observation deck; from there he climbs a total of 33m using both stairs and ladders. The new flag must be prepared in the storage room and not on top of the Peace Tower, since the space on top is only 1.2m x 1.2m. The employee then lowers the flag and then raises the new one to the top of the 10.7m pole. As a sign of respect, the flags must not touch the ground.

Find more at: http://www.parliamenthill.gc.ca/histoire-history/paix-peace/drapeau-flag-eng.html