Treaty 6 Grand Chief says removal of flag in Barrhead will have negative impact [Video]

Treaty No. 6 First Nations Grand Chief Cody Thomas says the removal of the Treaty 6 flag in municipalities is a “mistake” and a “step backwards” for reconciliation.

Earlier this week, Barrhead residents voted for a bylaw to ban all decorative flags and crosswalks from public property.

The town said council would pass the bylaw and begin removing existing crosswalks or flags that violate it, including a Pride crosswalk, a disability pride crosswalk, a Royal Canadian Legion flag and a Treaty 6 flag.

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The group Barrhead Neutrality organized the petition in June after seeing a similar bylaw in the town of Westlock.

Earlier this year, Westlock implemented a bylaw to prohibit rainbow crosswalks and restricting the town to only fly government flags.

“Removal of the Treaty 6 flag in municipalities that have decided to publicly acknowledge the Treaty relationship and …