Traditionally, holidays celebrate or observe events of major cultural, religious or national importance. Statutory holidays are days with legal significance, recognized officially by the federal or provincial government to mandate a day off for public employees.
Remembrance Day—a day that commemorates members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) who sacrificed their lives for the country—has many of these characteristics but does not enjoy statutory status in Ontario. This should be changed. While Remembrance Day is a day off work for federal employees and most workers in six provinces and all territories, this is not the case for private-sector workers in Ontario.
By making Nov. 11 a statutory holiday, Canadians would have a better opportunity to remember the service and sacrifices that contribute to our current safety and peace.
Traditionally, Remembrance Day ceremonies are held in the morning with special emphasis, often in the form of a minute of silence, at 11:11 a.m. to honour the First World War armistice.
Many workers are forced to choose between honouring the fallen and their jobs because the ceremonies fall within the conventional workday.
During the pandemic, many institutions, including Carleton, have switched to holding ceremonies online. However, virtual adaptations still often take place during the work day. Making Remembrance Day a statutory holiday could serve as an opportunity to bring people together to honour fallen members of the CAF amid the coming return to normal.
Featured graphic from file.
