Karen Mackenzie
Northern News Services
Monday, August 6, 2007

IQALUIT - The icy blues of Iqaluit's city flag recently flew over a dusty military base in Kabul, Afghanistan.

The flag made the journey overseas with local resident and RCMP officer Paul Young, who is currently working as superintendent of the Kabul Capitol Police Command.

An inuksuk built by Iqaluit resident Supt. Paul Young in Kabul is a focal point for Canadians working in Afghanistan. - photo courtesy of Paul Young

"It has been in many parts of Afghanistan," wrote Young in an e-mail last week. "It was a topic of discussion amongst our troops in Kandahar and also at Camp Mirage.... I have obtained a map of Canada that I use to demonstrate to all where Iqaluit is."

The flag was a gift from the city to Young - formerly the RCMP criminal operations officer - in February of this year, according to deputy mayor Al Hayward.

"We gave it as a token of our appreciation and also to remind him of where he comes from," Hayward said. "We wanted to make sure that the people of Iqaluit remember it too."

Since then, Young has unfurled it in a number of places across the war-torn country, but perhaps most notably over the American military base Camp Eggers.

According to custom, American soldiers fly a flag over the base on days which are special to them. After the flag is taken down, it is returned to its owner along with a certificate from the American military acknowledging that it flew during Operation Enduring Freedom.

"I had the flag flown on July 22, as this was my daughter's 14th birthday, one that I missed while serving here," wrote Young, whose wife and two children remain in Iqaluit. "A sad day for me, but a proud one seeing the Iqaluit flag fly."

He constructed a second symbol from home as well - an inuksuk, built of stones from the force protection wall surrounding the Kabul city police headquarters.

"The rocks are protectors and special," wrote Young."This has a place of honour on this American base and the very few Canadians that are here take pride in it. It has become a focal point for us."

The flag is now folded according to proper military tradition, and will remain so until Young's return to Iqaluit in February 2008. He plans to present it back to the city.

What happens to the flag next is not yet set in stone.

"I'm not sure, but it's going to be very special," Hayward said.