Here is the story of the controversial 2014 “Flag Flap” regarding efforts to have Kitchener City Hall fly a Pride Flag; this story is told through news clippings. This set of news clippings was assembled by the Grand River Rainbow Historical Project; the set is now archived in the Grace Schmidt of Local History. Below are summaries of the contents of these clippings.

■ Waterloo Region Record: Kitchener refuses calls to fly pride flag at city hall. An article by Paige Desmond (Record staff). This article marks the beginning of the public debate (spurred on by the problems at the Sochi Olympics) about flying a Pride flag outside Kitchener City Hall. The reporter interviewed Terre Chartrand, who had created a petition asking that the Pride flag be flown. Council decided instead to have a banner displayed in the rotunda of Kitchener City Hall. Waterloo Region Record, Wednesday, February 12, 2014, pp. A1 - A2.

■ Waterloo Region Record: Advocate upset by ‘in the closet’ pride flag. An article by Paige Desmond (Record staff). The reporter interviewed tri-Pride President Sasa Kahrimanovic, who expressed disappointment with the decision by Kitchener City Council not to fly the pride flag outside City Hall. The article pointed out that Cambridge is the only local city that agreed to fly the flag; comments from the Cambridge mayor were included. Waterloo Region Record, Thursday, February 13, 2014, pp. A1, A5.

■ Waterloo Region Record: Pride flag debate settled. An article by Paige Desmond (Record staff) subtitled “Kitchener shows image on screen above city hall.” The article indicates a compromise whereby an image of the flag will be projected on the Cube atop City Hall. As it happened, the debate was not really resolved with this compromise. Waterloo Region Record, Wednesday, February 19, 2014, pp. A1 - A2.

■ Waterloo Region Record: Rainbow on ‘Cube’ is too little, too late. An opinion piece by Luisa D’Amato arguing that the Cube compromise was too little, too late to properly support the rainbow community. She pointed out that many cities in Canada had already chosen to fly the flag. Waterloo Region Record, Wednesday, February 19, 2014, p. B1.

■ Waterloo Region Record: The wrong flag. A letter to the Editor by Ron Barry (Waterloo) in which the writer applauded the decision by Kitchener City Hall not to fly the pride flag. Waterloo Region Record, Thursday, February 20, 2014, p. A12.

■ Waterloo Region Record: Raise the Pride flag. A letter to the Editor by Michael Buettel (Kitchener) in which the writer urges Kitchener to fly the Pride flag. Waterloo Region Record, Thursday, February 20, 2014, p. A12.

■ Waterloo Region Record: The right to choose. A letter to the Editor by Darlene Quenneville (Kitchener) in which the writer refers to the flag debate, indicating that she did not want gay values pushed on her. Waterloo Region Record, Friday, February 21, 2014, p. A8.

■ Waterloo Region Record: Flags, statues focus of special Kitchener council meeting. An article by Paige Desmond (Record staff) reporting on, among other matters, the fact that, the following Monday, Councillor Frank Etherington would bring forward a motion to ask “that the city review its flag policy which kept the pride flag from flying at city hall during the Sochi Olympics.” Waterloo Region Record, Saturday, February 22, 2014, p. B4.

■ Waterloo Region Record: Etherington miffed after motions deferred. An article by Paige Desmond (Record staff) indicating that at the Monday meeting, Kitchener Council had voted to defer discussion of Councillor Frank Etherington’s motions - one of them being a discussion of the city’s flag policy. Waterloo Region Record, Tuesday, February 25, 2014, p.B2.

■ Waterloo Region Record: Sick of Pride flag issue. A letter to the Editor by Kathy Pearce (Kitchener) in which the writer argues against flying a Pride flag at Kitchener City Hall. Waterloo Region Record, Tuesday, February 25, 2014, p.A6.

■ Waterloo Region Record: Kitchener flip-flops on flag policy. An article by Catherine Thompson (Record staff) subtitled “Two flagpoles will fly variety of banners.” This article reported on a significant event in the Pride flag controversy in Kitchener at the Monday meeting of City Council, in which councillors Berry Vrbanovic and Dan Glenn-Graham “introduced a joint motion to allow two community flagpoles: one at city hall near the Duke Street gardens and another at Speaker’s Corner at King and Benton streets.” In support of this, Vrbanovic presented an eight-page draft flag policy based on policies in other Ontario cities. At that meeting, councillors voted 9-2 to approve this new policy. Local delegates were very happy with this result. Jim Parrott, who was one delegates indicated that he felt that this move would benefit the entire community. Waterloo Region Record, Tuesday, May 27, 2014, pp. A1 - A2. NOTE: Attached is a copy of the policy crafted by Vrbanovic that was approved at this meeting.

■ Waterloo Region Record: Showing favouritism. A letter to the Editor by Bill Steel (Cambridge) in which the writer objects to the decision by Kitchener City to allow flying community flags. Waterloo Region Record, Wednesday, May 28, 2014, p.A6.