House of Commons passes symbolic Remembrance Day bill
Posted Jun 21, 2017 2:15 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
OTTAWA – The House of Commons has passed legislation giving Remembrance Day the same legal status as Canada Day and Victoria Day.
It is mainly a symbolic move, as the Commons can’t make Nov. 11 a statutory holiday across the country, because that is a matter for the provinces.
Currently, Remembrance Day is a holiday in all provinces and territories except for Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Federal employees also get the day off.
The legislation, introduced by Nova Scotia Liberal MP Colin Fraser, followed a number of failed efforts to single out Remembrance Day.
One problem is that the Royal Canadian Legion has worried that making Nov. 11 a legal holiday would change people’s attitudes and they might not bother making the effort to attend local ceremonies.
