When Mississauga Mayor Carolyn Parrish posted to social media about removing American flags from city facilities, she generated what must have been one of her most popular posts ever. Nearly 1.5 million people viewed the post on X, with over 5,000 responding both for and against the decision.
On March 15, Mayor Parrish announced: “At the request of many, the City has begun to remove all American flags from sports arenas and locations along Lake Ontario, including the pier at Snug Harbour in Port Credit. Oversized Canadian flags (15’x30’) are ordered and will be installed on all the poles at City Hall”.
Several people asked Mayor Parrish why the city had flown these flags in the first place.
“We have a lot of boaters that come from the USA to Port Credit,” Parrish explained. “The pier has US flags to welcome those who land.”
American lawyer Joe Gramsick feared it signaled he was unwelcome as a regular traveler to the area. “We just made nonrefundable reservations for the Waterside Inn in Port Credit! Should we be worried?” Gramsick wrote to Parrish.
“Of course not!” Parrish answered on removing American Flags. “Waterside Inn caters to a nice clientele. And we all assume a huge number of Americans do not agree with the erratic behaviour of Trump.”
It appears that the post went viral mostly for an American audience, as the bulk of the responses were from Americans.
The flag decision follows Parrish’s public letter on March 4, calling the tariffs “reckless.” She stated that they will worsen local unemployment by 2-3%. The letter also outlines the ways the municipality plans to respond.
Although warning that the city is “particularly vulnerable” to the effects of the tariffs, given its position as a hub for manufacturing and trade. Mayor Parrish stated that the city is ready to meet the challenge with its “Partners in Trade Response Plan.”
This plan includes amending the city’s Procurement By-Law to allow the city to prioritize Canadian and non-American suppliers. It also includes advocating for more provincial and federal support for impacted businesses.
While there is uncertainty around the cost and impact of these tariffs and Canada’s response in terms of counter-tariffs. Parrish wrote “initial projections show a 2-3% increase in the unemployment rate representing an estimated loss of 600,000 jobs, with ripple effects felt in municipalities like ours.”
Parrish urged residents to support the city’s “Choose Canada Campaign” by buying only Canadian-made products.
