Posted by Mike Bobbitt (Webmaster) from Ottawa ON Canada on November 12, 2021 at 14:24:59:
Most were only mildly irritating (like garbage blowing around), but several were downright offensive (camramen on the cenetaph, a general walking around during Last Post, and no minute of silence for example).
One interesting thing though was an individual who was near the front, proudly displaying a modified Canadian flag on a large aluminum pole.
This new flag had 2 thin blue stripes between the white and the red on either side. At first, I thought it was a part of the official ceremony due to it's prominent location. I soon realized that the individual carrying the flag had just positioned himself so he could display his banner to everyone. (His flag was not lowered to half mast during the ceremony, just rolled up along the pole).
After the ceremony, I discovered that the flag was intended to display Canada's bi-lingualism, and that the person waving it was pushing to have it accepted as our national flag.
My first reaction was that he should not have been permitted to display what is clearly an unauthorized modification to our national flag, especially during Remembrance Day services. Then I realized that it is because of the courageous efforts of our vets that he has the freedom to annoy me without persecution, so I left it at that.
I'm sure that the readers of this page will have some interesting perspectives on the matter. Fire for effect.