Remembrance Day: National holiday?/"Veterans' Day"? (merged)

[Lightguns]

Of two minds, as a national holiday, attendance will go down as folks plan other things on a defined day off.  It's a holiday here in NB, and many go deer hunting instead, many more just do not get up and watch it on TV.  Leave it as it is and it will likely become less and less important as the vet pool grows smaller, particularly since the new vet prefers smaller vet orgs and steers away from Legion membership. 

 

[cryco]

I find it odd that I get a day off for a long gone queen's birthday that had wealth and power and led a pretty good life; whereas a day that marks the many brave men and women who gave up their lives to ensure that the generations to come enjoyed the freedoms they had and some they didn't have yet  is not a day off.
But then again, will it change anything by taking a day off? One minute of silence can be taken anywhere. I just can't find a damn poppy. They used to be everywhere.

 

[Edward Campbell]

I disagree.

The existing "holiday" for government employees should be cancelled - we can have a new, "nicer" Veterans' Day in, say, Jun or Sep, when the weather is nicer, that will pacify the unions.

Remembrance Day should become, à la the UK, Remembrance Sunday, with official events in all the communities that want them, on the Sunday before 11 Nov.

:2c:

This is all I have to say ... well, bot quite, there was an earlier rant, but this is enough.

 

[George Wallace]

This is all I have to say ... well, bot quite, there was an earlier rant, but this is enough.

Seems to be an annual debate/good idea faerie suggestion.  Perhaps we should have the clock reset on all the posts in this thread to reset annually as well and cut down on redundancies.

 

[George Wallace]

I find it odd that I get a day off for a long gone queen's birthday that had wealth and power and led a pretty good life; whereas a day that marks the many brave men and women who gave up their lives to ensure that the generations to come enjoyed the freedoms they had and some they didn't have yet  is not a day off.
But then again, will it change anything by taking a day off? One minute of silence can be taken anywhere. I just can't find a damn poppy. They used to be everywhere.

Actually, Victoria Day has evolved to be an annual ceremonial celebration of the monarchs birthday, no matter that the current monarch's birthday is on another date.  It is set so that each month has a Holiday, not several; although not all months currently have a holiday.  Also, we would constantly be changing the holiday, by day and month for every reigning monarch if we had not just selected Victoria Day to do so.

 

[cryco]

Nevertheless, I would prefer paying homage to our fallen then to previous or current monarchs through a day off. And November could use one.

 

[cupper]

Thoughts, anyone?

Andy Radia Canadian Politics column/Yahoo News

The author needs to fact check a little closer. Although Remembrance Day is not listed as a statutory holiday under the Labour Standards Code, it is covered under the Remembrance Day Act.

http://nslegislature.ca/legc/statutes/remembrc.htm

An Act Respecting the
Observance of Remembrance Day


WHEREAS our heritage of freedom and human dignity has, under Providence, been preserved through the unselfish devotion of those who sacrificed health, limb and life itself in World War One, World War Two and the Korean Conflict;
AND WHEREAS the eleventh day of November has traditionally been set aside throughout Nova Scotia as a day to be kept and observed in each and every year under the name "Remembrance Day";
AND WHEREAS it is fitting that on Remembrance Day the people of Nova Scotia should pay grateful tribute to the memory of those who have died, cherish those who have suffered grievous injury, and dedicate themselves anew to the maintenance and furtherance of the great ideals hallowed by those sacrifices:
Short title

1 This Act may be cited as the Remembrance Day Act. R.S., c. 396, s. 1.
Interpretation

2 In this Act,
(a) "employee" means a person who is in receipt of, or entitled to, compensation for labour or services performed for another in an industry, but does not include an independent contractor;
(b) "employer" means a person, firm, corporation, agent, manager, representative, contractor, sub-contractor or principal, having control or direction of, or who is responsible directly or indirectly for, the employment of an employee in an industry;
(c) "goods" means personal property;
(d) "hospitality industry" means the provision of accommodation, camping, food, beverage, recreation, related services and facilities, and tourist information and includes a private club, fraternal organization and veterans organization;
(e) "industry" means a business, trade or profession except
(i) farming,
(ii) fishing and aquaculture,
(iii) Christmas tree operations,
(iv) tree harvesting, logging and forest industry as defined by the Labour Standards Code,
(v) industrial undertakings as defined by the Labour Standards Code;
(f) "performance" includes any game, match, sport, contest, exhibition, entertainment, dance, program, theatrical presentation or motion picture presentation;
(g) "Remembrance Day" means the whole of the eleventh day of November in each year. R.S., c. 396, s. 2.
Prohibited activity on Remembrance Day

3 Except as herein provided, no person shall, on Remembrance Day,
(a) sell, offer for sale or purchase any goods or real property; or
(b) for gain or reward engage as employer or employee in any industry. R.S., c. 396, s. 3.
Section 3 does not apply

4 Section 3 does not apply to
(a) the operation of hospitals or work for the relief of sickness or suffering;
(b) the operation of a facility licensed under the Day Care Act;
(c) the operation of drug stores except in department stores;
(d) the operation of service stations;
(e) the work of police officers, firefighters, prison guards, furnace tenders, watchmen, janitors or domestic servants;
(f) the effecting of emergency repairs;
(g) the hospitality industry;
(h) conveying of goods or travellers on railways, buses or other public conveyances, and work incidental thereto;
(i) the caring for perishable products and live animals;
(j) the operation of a shop or store for the sale of goods if no more than three persons are in the shop or store at any one time for the purpose of operating it;
(k) the operation of a dairy, a milk processing plant or a dairy manufacturing plant and the distribution of its products directly to the consumer;
(l) the operation of a bakery for the baking of products for sale on the next succeeding day;
(m) the conducting, in fish plants or meat packing plants, of those processes that cannot be postponed without serious deterioration of product quality, and the carrying on of such other operations as are necessary in receiving, paying for and shipping such products;
the doing of any work without the doing of which on Remembrance Day electric current, telephone service, heat, fuel oil, gas, gasoline, light or water cannot be continuously supplied;
(o) work incidental to the conducting of commemorative or religious services;
(p) the operation of the office of a broker who is registered as such under the Securities Act and who, in the conduct of his business, has occasion on behalf of clients to transact business on Remembrance Day on stock exchanges outside the Province;
(q) broadcasting as defined by the Defamation Act;
(r) the publication of newspapers including all work necessary for, or incidental to, the preparation, printing and distribution thereof;
(s) the completion, before six oclock in the forenoon of Remembrance Day, of a regular shift or tour of duty commenced on the previous day, or the beginning, after nine oclock, on the afternoon of Remembrance Day, of a regular shift or tour of duty continuing into the next following day. R.S., c. 396, s. 4.
Restriction on serving alcohol or performing

5 Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, no person shall
(a) carry on, give, produce or conduct a performance; or
(b) sell, offer for sale or serve in a commercial establishment an alcoholic beverage,
before twelve oclock noon on Remembrance Day. R.S., c. 396, s. 5.
Holiday with pay for employee required to work

6 An employer of an employee in an industry who
(a) is required to work on Remembrance Day; and
(b) has received or is entitled to receive wages for at least fifteen days during the thirty calendar days immediately preceding Remembrance Day,
shall grant the employee a holiday with pay on the working day immediately following the employees annual vacation or another day agreed upon by the employee and the employer. R.S., c. 396, s. 6.
Three minute suspension of operation

7 Every employer carrying on or engaged in an industry to which Section 3 does not apply shall, subject to Section 8, relieve the employees in the industry from duty, and suspend the operations of the industry, for a period of three minutes, at one minute before eleven oclock in the forenoon on Remembrance Day. R.S., c. 396, s. 7.
Permit in emergency

8 In circumstances beyond human control and for which no other arrangements can be made, the Minister of Labour may grant a permit for the doing of work required in the circumstances to meet an emergency, and the Minister may attach such conditions as he deems fair and reasonable in the circumstances. R.S., c. 396, s. 8.
Offence and penalty for non-compliance

9 (1) Any person who contravenes, disobeys, or refuses, neglects, omits, or fails to observe and comply with any provision of this Act is guilty of an offence and is liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars.
Offence and penalty on employer

(2) An employer who authorizes, directs or knowingly permits anything to be done in violation of any provision of this Act is guilty of an offence and is liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding fifteen thousand dollars. R.S., c. 396, s. 9.

 

[mariomike]

From looking at this map. It must have been almost impossible for those alive at the time not to have known someone killed in war.

There are three interactive maps. WW1, WW2 and Korea:
http://globalnews.ca/news/932833/griefs-geography-mapping-torontonians-killed-three-wars/

 

[The Bread Guy]

The author needs to fact check a little closer. Although Remembrance Day is not listed as a statutory holiday under the Labour Standards Code, it is covered under the Remembrance Day Act.

http://nslegislature.ca/legc/statutes/remembrc.htm

That may be the case in Nova Scotia, as you've pointed out, as well as Manitoba, Alberta and other jurisdictions, but these folks are looking for a national law.

 

[Cronicbny]

And this bill achieves no such thing - if you look at the existing Holidays Act (federal) he only proposes to add flags at half mast. Federally regulated employees already have Remembrance Day as a stat. The latest attempt at changing the legislation does not change that

 

[mariomike]

Federally regulated employees already have Remembrance Day as a stat.

So do all City of Toronto employees. It's been a stat at least as far back as 1972 when I hired on. I believe it has been a stat holiday for many decades.
http://wx.toronto.ca/intra/hr/policies.nsf/0/b967430170bf0dba85256974005b87b2?OpenDocument

 

[McG]

Nevertheless, I would prefer paying homage to our fallen ... through a day off. And November could use one.

A day off becomes more about one's self or consumerism.  It is bad enough that music broadcasts in shopping malls will be declaring "it's the most wonderful time of the year" as we should be paying homage to millions slaughtered through wars.  We don't need to legislate what would quickly become the official first shopping day of Christmas.

If you want to keep Remembrance Day in perspective, don't add it as a new vacation day to the calendar.

 

[Kat Stevens]

Personally, Nov 11 is the one day of the year I refuse to go to work, my time is better spent at the cenotaph than poking holes in semi frozen ground.

 

[cryco]

A day off becomes more about one's self or consumerism.  It is bad enough that music broadcasts in shopping malls will be declaring "it's the most wonderful time of the year" as we should be paying homage to millions slaughtered through wars.  We don't need to legislate what would quickly become the official first shopping day of Christmas.

If you want to keep Remembrance Day in perspective, don't add it as a new vacation day to the calendar.

That may be. Of all the holidays we have, I only go out and celebrate Canada day. All the other days, are just another day off. I don't particularly care for Victoria day, or labor day and I grew up thinking thanksgiving day was a day that other people ate turkey. My Greek folks didn't bother with that. Christmas and Easter are more about traditions.
Remembrance day on the other hand, I would take a minute out of my day to silently thank all veterans, dead or alive. If it were a day off, there is a chance -yes, a chance - I would go out and do something to mark the day; unlike the other holidays where I just stay home and catch up on my renovations, do house work or go to the range.

 

[Marchog]

For what it's worth I agree with MCG. Don't do to Remembrance Day what they did to Christmas.

 

[The Bread Guy]

A day off becomes more about one's self or consumerism. 

I wish I could say differently, but I've noticed we didn't get larger turnouts when it was a stat many moons ago.

 

[PMedMoe]

If you want to keep Remembrance Day in perspective, don't add it as a new vacation day to the calendar.

I agree.  If people are allowed an opportunity to pay respects in whatever way (time off to attend a ceremony, two minutes of silence at 11:00), there is no need to make it a stat holiday.  I don't believe it would generate larger crowds at parades and services.

 

[X Royal]

I agree.  If people are allowed an opportunity to pay respects in whatever way (time off to attend a ceremony, two minutes of silence at 11:00), there is no need to make it a stat holiday. 

That's the whole problem.
Without a statutory holiday may don't get the chance.
I'm forced to use a vacation day or call in sick to attend the ceremony.
On now on vacation for the day and getting ready to go to the service.

 

[PMedMoe]

That's the whole problem.
Without a statutory holiday may don't get the chance.

Several businesses honour the two minutes of silence.  Today, the TTC buses are going to stop for two minutes  at 11:00.

Yesterday, our cafeteria at work was closed due to a large number of people taking a leave day.  I'm betting most of those who took yesterday off, aren't attending a ceremony today.

 

[jollyjacktar]

I have just returned from the ceremony at Oyster Pond on the Eastern Shore of NS.  The weather as beautiful and the crowd was the biggest I believe I have ever seen.  What I was dismayed with, however, was the small turn out of those of us in uniform.  Maybe a dozen, if that.  It was the worst yet I have ever experienced in my 20 years here.