Two flags raised in tandem this morning highlight 14 Wing Greenwood’s commitment to equity.
March 21 marks the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, set by the United Nations in 1966 to mark the 1960 death of 69 protesters in Sharpesville, South Africa, killed by police in a demonstration against apartheid “pass laws.”
14 Wing’s Defence Indigenous Advisory Group raised the Mi’kmaq Grand Council flag, while the Defence Visible Minorities Advisory Group raised the Pan-African flag, side by side in front of the 26 Canadian Forces Health Services clinic.
“Thanks for taking your time this morning,” said Chief Warrant Officer Duane May, on behalf of the DVMAG. “These two flags are a reminder we all have a role to play – listening, learning and acting.”
14 Wing Commander Colonel Luc Vachon said, while the wing raises a number of flags to mark a range of special occasions, all of them have significance.
“Does it make a difference? It’s the wing, taking a pause to acknowledge the past, think about the present and what we can do to make the future better,” Vachon said. “That’s what we’ve done. It’s how we can do this better in the future, fixing inequities we do have.”
