The Town of Fort Frances is a Northwestern Ontario municipality with a significant population of Ukrainian descent. In light of the recent actions of the Trump administration against Ukrainians and Canadians, this petition calls on town council to replace all U.S. flags at civic buildings with the flag of Ukraine. The wording of the petition is as follows:

WHEREAS Russia illegally annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, invaded Ukrainian territory in 2022, and has committed further atrocities against the people of Ukraine since those events;

AND WHEREAS Canada has the second largest Ukrainian diaspora in the world and, in the Town of Fort Frances, over ten percent of households identify Ukrainian as their ethnic or cultural origin;

AND WHEREAS U.S. President Donald Trump, a convicted felon, and members of his administration continue to insult Canadians with comments suggesting that Canada ought to become a U.S. state, which is disrespectful of Canadian sovereignty and Canada's independence;

AND WHEREAS the Trump administration continues to threaten tariffs on Canadian exports, which will have devastating economic impacts on both Canadians and Americans, and which are predicated on the lie that the United States "subsidizes" Canada;

AND WHEREAS on February 28, 2025, President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance publicly berated and insulted Ukrainians and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a wartime leader and hero, during a public meeting at the White House, by parroting dishonest, pro-Russia talking points;

AND WHEREAS, as a border community, with deep ties to the United States and longstanding cultural ties to Ukraine, the Town of Fort Frances and its citizens are troubled by these unprecedented and unwarranted provocations and insults from the Trump administration;

NOW THEREFORE, we the undersigned citizens and concerned members of the public call on the council of the Town of Fort Frances to immediately adopt a resolution enacting the following measures:

1. That, notwithstanding any by-law or policy of the municipality, the administration of the Town of Fort Frances shall immediately remove all U.S. national flags from civic buildings in the municipality, including from the official flag poles at the Civic Centre and any U.S. flags placed at local sporting, marina, and recreational facilities;

2. That, notwithstanding any by-law or policy of the municipality, all municipal properties which currently display a U.S. national flag shall instead, until further resolved by council, display or fly the national flag of Ukraine to reflect the solidarity of Canadians with the people of Ukraine; and

3. That a copy of council's resolution in regard to these actions shall be sent to Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP Marcus Powlowski, Kenora-Rainy River MPP Greg Rickford, the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association, Prime Minister Mark Carney, and Premier Doug Ford.