Family Day (Canada)
Encyclopedia
In parts of Canada
, the February Civic Holiday is a statutory holiday
occurring on the third Monday in February. In the provinces of Ontario
, Alberta
and Saskatchewan
it is termed Family Day. By contrast, in the provinces of Manitoba
and Prince Edward Island
, the statutory holiday on this date is instead termed Louis Riel Day and Islander Day, respectively. The timing of the holiday coincides with Presidents Day in the United States.
The third Monday in February is a regular working day in Quebec
, New Brunswick
, Nova Scotia
and the territories
. As Family Day is not currently recognized in the federal sphere, federal employees in all provinces (such as public servants and postal workers) still work on this day. In Newfoundland and Labrador
, the third Monday of February is a school board holiday, but not an official provincial holiday.
The holiday was proclaimed by Lieutenant Governor
Helen Hunley
, on the advice of her premier
, Don Getty
. Premier Getty said it was important for all Albertans to take time for their families and this holiday would emphasize the importance of family values.
Getty came in for considerable criticism at the time. Many employers felt that an additional statutory holiday was an unnecessary fiscal burden. In response to the criticism, the holiday of Heritage Day was downgraded to a civic holiday
, meaning employers are not required to observe this day. Under Alberta law, the employer may choose to observe Heritage Day as a general holiday, under which rules applying to general holiday pay will be used.
's Premier
Lorne Calvert
proposed the holiday for the province, beginning in 2007. The bill for the Labour Standards Amendment Act, 2006, was introduced in the legislature on November 1, 2006, and received Royal Assent
on December 6.
The act officially declares the third Monday of each February Family Day and came into effect immediately; the first Family Day in Saskatchewan was February 19, 2007.
The overall effect in annual days off remains unchanged for many, as Easter Monday is no longer considered a holiday by private businesses. Businesses suggested it might cost them as much as $140 million a year for this new holiday, and have requested tax breaks to soften the economic impact. The Saskatchewan government has given $95-million corporate tax cuts, but most of the companies benefiting have adjusted the official days off such that the annual allotment remains exactly the same.
, Dalton McGuinty
of the Liberal Party
promised that if re-elected premier
he would establish a provincial holiday in February. On 12 October 2007, the provincial government established Family Day, with the first being observed on 18 February 2008. Its creation raised Ontario's number of public holidays to nine per year. However, this holiday does not necessarily add to the number of holidays Ontarians receive, as employers can substitute any non-statutory holidays that employees may already be receiving in lieu of this day. Many employers have substituted the popular Civic Holiday, which falls on the first Monday in August. Although the Civic Holiday is enjoyed by millions every year, it is not public (statutory), and workers may have to choose one holiday or the other, based on their contract, union negotiations, service requirements, etc.
government was considering a February holiday. Legislation proclaiming the third Monday in February as Louis Riel Day was passed by Manitoba's Legislative Assembly on April 17, 2007, and first celebrated February 18, 2008. The day is known as Louis Riel Day, a name suggested by Manitoba school students, in honour of Louis Riel
, the Métis
leader regarded as the Father of Manitoba.
introduced Islander Day first in 2009 due to the rising trend of a holiday in February. First held on the second Monday of February in 2009, much controversy followed in most business being hurt with being out of sync with their partners in other provinces which held Family Day on the third Monday of each February; which coincided with business partners from the U.S.A which held their President's Day on the third Monday. Provincial Attorney General Gerard Greenan introduced a change to mark the holiday on the third Monday in February in April of that year.
, largely shuts down on this date. In 2008, federal NDP
leader Jack Layton
proposed it be made a federal holiday. Unless and until this were to happen, federally regulated workplaces (such as the post office
) will continue to work on Family Day regardless of the day's status in the respective provinces.
In British Columbia, a private member's bill
to establish Family Day on the third Monday in February was introduced by Liberal MLA Bob Chisholm in 1994 but failed to pass. Although there were renewed calls to introduce Family Day in B.C. between 2007 and 2011, it was opposed by the British Columbia Chamber of Commerce and the Campbell government.. On January 10, 2011, Liberal leadership hopeful Christy Clark
proposed establishing a Family Day holiday, suggesting the holiday should fall on the third Monday of February. Clark was sworn in as premier on March 14, 2011, after she won the leadership of the BC Liberal Party in the 2011 leadership election on February 26, 2011.
On September 5, 2010, while campaigning for re-election, New Brunswick Premier Shawn Graham
promised to establish Family Day in his province if his Liberal Party
was returned to government. Graham did not win re-election.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the February Civic Holiday is a statutory holiday
Public holidays in Canada
Public holidays in Canada known as "statutory holidays," "stats" or "stat holidays" are legislated at the national, provincial and territorial levels...
occurring on the third Monday in February. In the provinces of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
and Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
it is termed Family Day. By contrast, in the provinces of Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
and Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
, the statutory holiday on this date is instead termed Louis Riel Day and Islander Day, respectively. The timing of the holiday coincides with Presidents Day in the United States.
The third Monday in February is a regular working day in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
and the territories
Northern Canada
Northern Canada, colloquially the North, is the vast northernmost region of Canada variously defined by geography and politics. Politically, the term refers to the three territories of Canada: Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut...
. As Family Day is not currently recognized in the federal sphere, federal employees in all provinces (such as public servants and postal workers) still work on this day. In Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
, the third Monday of February is a school board holiday, but not an official provincial holiday.
Alberta
The holiday was first celebrated in 1990. Alberta was the only province in Canada to have a statutory holiday in February, until it was proposed in Saskatchewan beginning in 2007.The holiday was proclaimed by Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Alberta
The Lieutenant Governor of Alberta is the viceregal representative in Alberta of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the nine other jurisdictions of Canada and resides predominantly in her oldest realm, the United...
Helen Hunley
Helen Hunley
The Honourable Wilma Helen Hunley, OC, AOE was a former Canadian politician and the 12th Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, the first woman to serve in that post.-Early life:...
, on the advice of her premier
Premier of Alberta
The Premier of Alberta is the first minister for the Canadian province of Alberta. He or she is the province's head of government and de facto chief executive. The current Premier of Alberta is Alison Redford. She became Premier by winning the Progressive Conservative leadership elections on...
, Don Getty
Don Getty
Donald Ross Getty, OC, AOE is a retired Canadian politician who served as the 11th Premier of Alberta between 1985 and 1992. A member of the Progressive Conservatives, he served as Energy Minister and Federal and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister in the government of Peter Lougheed before...
. Premier Getty said it was important for all Albertans to take time for their families and this holiday would emphasize the importance of family values.
Getty came in for considerable criticism at the time. Many employers felt that an additional statutory holiday was an unnecessary fiscal burden. In response to the criticism, the holiday of Heritage Day was downgraded to a civic holiday
Civic holiday
A civic holiday, civil holiday, public holiday, legal holiday, or work holiday is a day that is legally recognized and celebrated as a holiday in a particular sovereign state or jurisdictional subdivision of such, e.g., a state or a province...
, meaning employers are not required to observe this day. Under Alberta law, the employer may choose to observe Heritage Day as a general holiday, under which rules applying to general holiday pay will be used.
British Columbia
On October 3, 2011 the BC Provincial Government announced as part of the Throne Speech that starting in 2013 the third weekend in February will become a statutory holiday.Saskatchewan
In October 2006, SaskatchewanSaskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
's Premier
Premier of Saskatchewan
The Premier of Saskatchewan is the first minister for the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. They are the province's head of government and de facto chief executive....
Lorne Calvert
Lorne Calvert
Lorne Albert Calvert, MLA was the 13th Premier of Saskatchewan, from 2001 to 2007. Calvert, was the leader of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party from 2001 to June 6, 2009, when he was succeeded by Dwain Lingenfelter.In 1975, Calvert married Betty Sluzalo of Perdue, Saskatchewan. After attending...
proposed the holiday for the province, beginning in 2007. The bill for the Labour Standards Amendment Act, 2006, was introduced in the legislature on November 1, 2006, and received Royal Assent
Royal Assent
The granting of royal assent refers to the method by which any constitutional monarch formally approves and promulgates an act of his or her nation's parliament, thus making it a law...
on December 6.
The act officially declares the third Monday of each February Family Day and came into effect immediately; the first Family Day in Saskatchewan was February 19, 2007.
The overall effect in annual days off remains unchanged for many, as Easter Monday is no longer considered a holiday by private businesses. Businesses suggested it might cost them as much as $140 million a year for this new holiday, and have requested tax breaks to soften the economic impact. The Saskatchewan government has given $95-million corporate tax cuts, but most of the companies benefiting have adjusted the official days off such that the annual allotment remains exactly the same.
Ontario
During the Ontario provincial election in 2007Ontario general election, 2007
The Ontario general election of 2007 was held on October 10, 2007 to elect members of the 39th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada. The Liberals under Dalton McGuinty won the election with a majority government, winning 71 out of a possible 107 seats with 42.2% of the popular...
, Dalton McGuinty
Dalton McGuinty
Dalton James Patrick McGuinty, Jr., MPP is a Canadian lawyer, politician and, since October 23, 2003, the 24th and current Premier of the Canadian province of Ontario....
of the Liberal Party
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
promised that if re-elected premier
Premier of Ontario
The Premier of Ontario is the first Minister of the Crown for the Canadian province of Ontario. The Premier is appointed as the province's head of government by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and presides over the Executive council, or Cabinet. The Executive Council Act The Premier of Ontario...
he would establish a provincial holiday in February. On 12 October 2007, the provincial government established Family Day, with the first being observed on 18 February 2008. Its creation raised Ontario's number of public holidays to nine per year. However, this holiday does not necessarily add to the number of holidays Ontarians receive, as employers can substitute any non-statutory holidays that employees may already be receiving in lieu of this day. Many employers have substituted the popular Civic Holiday, which falls on the first Monday in August. Although the Civic Holiday is enjoyed by millions every year, it is not public (statutory), and workers may have to choose one holiday or the other, based on their contract, union negotiations, service requirements, etc.
Louis Riel Day
In February 2007, it was reported that the ManitobaManitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
government was considering a February holiday. Legislation proclaiming the third Monday in February as Louis Riel Day was passed by Manitoba's Legislative Assembly on April 17, 2007, and first celebrated February 18, 2008. The day is known as Louis Riel Day, a name suggested by Manitoba school students, in honour of Louis Riel
Louis Riel
Louis David Riel was a Canadian politician, a founder of the province of Manitoba, and a political and spiritual leader of the Métis people of the Canadian prairies. He led two resistance movements against the Canadian government and its first post-Confederation Prime Minister, Sir John A....
, the Métis
Métis people (Canada)
The Métis are one of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who trace their descent to mixed First Nations parentage. The term was historically a catch-all describing the offspring of any such union, but within generations the culture syncretised into what is today a distinct aboriginal group, with...
leader regarded as the Father of Manitoba.
Islander Day
The provincial government of Prince Edward IslandPrince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
introduced Islander Day first in 2009 due to the rising trend of a holiday in February. First held on the second Monday of February in 2009, much controversy followed in most business being hurt with being out of sync with their partners in other provinces which held Family Day on the third Monday of each February; which coincided with business partners from the U.S.A which held their President's Day on the third Monday. Provincial Attorney General Gerard Greenan introduced a change to mark the holiday on the third Monday in February in April of that year.
Elsewhere
With the growing trend of establishing a statutory holiday on this date, governments in the remaining jurisdictions without February holidays have come under some pressure to harmonize. Ontario's enactment of Family Day has meant the Canadian financial sector, including the Toronto Stock ExchangeToronto Stock Exchange
Toronto Stock Exchange is the largest stock exchange in Canada, the third largest in North America and the seventh largest in the world by market capitalisation. Based in Canada's largest city, Toronto, it is owned by and operated as a subsidiary of the TMX Group for the trading of senior equities...
, largely shuts down on this date. In 2008, federal NDP
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
leader Jack Layton
Jack Layton
John Gilbert "Jack" Layton, PC was a Canadian social democratic politician and the Leader of the Official Opposition. He was the leader of the New Democratic Party from 2003 to 2011, and previously sat on Toronto City Council, serving at times during that period as acting mayor and deputy mayor of...
proposed it be made a federal holiday. Unless and until this were to happen, federally regulated workplaces (such as the post office
Canada Post
Canada Post Corporation, known more simply as Canada Post , is the Canadian crown corporation which functions as the country's primary postal operator...
) will continue to work on Family Day regardless of the day's status in the respective provinces.
In British Columbia, a private member's bill
Private Member's Bill
A member of parliament’s legislative motion, called a private member's bill or a member's bill in some parliaments, is a proposed law introduced by a member of a legislature. In most countries with a parliamentary system, most bills are proposed by the government, not by individual members of the...
to establish Family Day on the third Monday in February was introduced by Liberal MLA Bob Chisholm in 1994 but failed to pass. Although there were renewed calls to introduce Family Day in B.C. between 2007 and 2011, it was opposed by the British Columbia Chamber of Commerce and the Campbell government.. On January 10, 2011, Liberal leadership hopeful Christy Clark
Christy Clark
Christina Joan "Christy" Clark, MLA is a Canadian politician, the 35th and current Premier of British Columbia, Canada...
proposed establishing a Family Day holiday, suggesting the holiday should fall on the third Monday of February. Clark was sworn in as premier on March 14, 2011, after she won the leadership of the BC Liberal Party in the 2011 leadership election on February 26, 2011.
On September 5, 2010, while campaigning for re-election, New Brunswick Premier Shawn Graham
Shawn Graham
Shawn Michael Graham, MLA is a New Brunswick politician, who served as the 31st Premier of New Brunswick. He received a Bachelor of Physical Education Degree in 1991 and a Bachelor of Education Degree in 1993, he worked for New Brunswick's civil service before being elected to the Legislative...
promised to establish Family Day in his province if his Liberal Party
New Brunswick Liberal Association
The New Brunswick Liberal Association , more popularly known as the New Brunswick Liberal Party or Liberal Party of New Brunswick, is one of the two major political parties in the Canadian province of New Brunswick...
was returned to government. Graham did not win re-election.