OTTAWA – All parties are showing support for an NDP MP’s proposal to make Remembrance Day a legal holiday in Canada – but even if it passes, it will be up to the provinces to decide.
NDP Dan Harris’ private member’s bill seeks to amend the Holidays Act to make Remembrance Day a statutory holiday on par with Canada Day on July 1 or Victoria Day in May.
Harris says all but four provinces already make Remembrance Day a statutory holiday in their respective labour codes.
He says Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba and Nova Scotia haven’t done so yet – even though the latter has set out its own legislation about Nov. 11.
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Nova Scotia has a Remembrance Day Act, which prohibits many businesses from operating and sets out rules about holiday pay. In Manitoba, stores are closed on the morning of Nov. 11.
But Harris is hoping that enshrining the day into federal law will inspire the remaining four provinces to make Remembrance Day a statutory holiday.
“At the very least we’re starting a conversation about elevating Remembrance Day and its status, but of course each province will have to decide,” Harris, who represents the Toronto-area riding of Scarborough Southwest, said in an interview.
The bill was supported by both the Conservative and Liberals this week, and a vote on Wednesday will determine if it goes to committee for further study.
Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne’s office said she is aware of the bill, but made no specific comments about it.
“Premier Wynne is looking forward to marking Remembrance Day in Toronto next week,” spokeswoman Zita Astravas said in an email.
A spokeswoman for the Nova Scotia government referred Global News to the province’s Remembrance Day Act, which sets out specific guidelines for the province including rules that grocery stores, big box stores and retail malls must be closed on Nov. 11.
No representatives from the Quebec or Manitoba governments immediately responded to a request for comment.
The Library of Parliament says only Ontario and Quebec do not establish Remembrance Day as a holiday for the majority of provincially-regulated employees.
Even in those provinces, some provincially-regulated employees and all federally-regulated employees do have Remembrance Day as a general holiday, the Library says.
Most federally-regulated institutions already observe Remembrance Day as a holiday, but the bill would further extend it to the telecommunications or aviation industries.
In Ontario, for instance, the public sector has the day off, but not the general public.
And Harris hopes all the provinces would be inspired to make it a legal holiday as well.
“That would send a message and provide a lot of encouragement for the provinces to move in that direction,” he said.
He said it’s important that Canadians have the day to visit a cenotaph or attend a ceremony on Nov. 11, as is his custom.
“Every year there’s always a few people missing from the regular group, and that’s because they have to work,” he said.
Harris, who comes from a military family, said he also hopes children can attend ceremonies in school before Remembrance Day as well.
“We are at the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War. And also we have, of course, our 40,000 veterans from Afghanistan that are returned home, and this is a chance to rededicate ourselves because they’re just as deserving of our support as previous generations of veterans,” he said.
Harris said he’s “cautiously optimistic” the bill is set to pass in the House. He said he’s already compromised on one provision to enshrine in the bill that the Canadian flag fly at half-mast – because it’s already the custom in Canada.
Conservative MP Erin O’Toole said the bill represents an “important principle,” but wonders if it will actually change anything.
“What seems to be lost somewhat with the debate is that the provinces that currently don’t have Remembrance Day as a (statutory) holiday would have to make the decision to make it a public holiday at a provincial level as well,” the Durham, Ont. MP said in an interview.
He said Ontario has debated a similar concept in the past, but came to the conclusion that children should observe the holiday in school.
“There’s no guarantee they’ll be at a cenotaph if it’s a holiday and at least if they’re in school they’ll be learning about the day,” he said.
Regardless, O’Toole said it can’t hurt to honour Remembrance Day in the House of Commons.
“I don’t think you’d see a Parliamentarian in Ottawa opposed, really, to what (Harris) is trying to do here which is rectify the language and make it clear that it’s as important as Canada Day or Victoria Day,” O’Toole said.
“He’s getting more unanimity than we normally see in that place.”
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