Quebec cabinet minister says Olympics no place for 'battle of rags'

By: Jocelyne Richer, THE CANADIAN PRESS QUEBEC - The provincial sports minister says the Beijing Olympics should not be the scene of a "battle of rags" despite what the Parti Quebecois wants. Michelle Courchesne was reacting to complaints by PQ Leader Pauline Marois that Quebec athletes at the Summer Games can only wave the flag of the country they're representing - Canada - and not the provincial Fleur-de-lis. But Courchesne had to issue a statement later in the day, saying she did not mean to suggest the Quebec flag was a rag. Courchesne was speaking at a news conference on another matter when the flag flap arose. "I am very disappointed in the Parti Quebecois, which instead of encouraging (Quebec athletes), wants to politicize the games and provoke a battle of the rags, a battle of the flags," Courchesne said. Courchesne... [read full story]