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Something to celebrate: Make Canada Day 'July long'

Lynne Bell

听 听 听 听 听 听 As I write this, we are heading into a Canada Day which falls on a-wait for it-Wednesday. Instead of the prospect of a guaranteed July long weekend in this often frigid northern land; this year, some of us are treated to a statutory holiday which lands squarely on Hump Day. In lieu of giving long-suffering Canucks a shot at another long weekend during our all-too-short Canadian summers, Canada Day is seemingly set in stone for a July 1^st observance.

听听听听听听听听听听听 I think it's time to change that and annually celebrate Canada Day on the first Monday of July. Before traditionalists reach for their smelling salts, a little research reveals that the day we call Canada Day has been tinkered with before, and none of the changes made in the past have ever threatened to shut down what is a nation-wide statutory holiday (as if!). Instead, whether anyone agreed or disagreed with modifications to what is now Canada Day, I believe that no one-then or now- would argue against another long weekend during our sweet-but short-summers.听听

听听听听听听听听听听听 Canada Day (Fete du Canada in Quebec) is our country's national day and celebrates the anniversary of the enactment of the British North America Act, which took place on July 1, 1867. The BNA Act (today called the Constitution Act, 1867) united three colonies into a single country-Canada. What we now call Canada Day, was once officially known as Dominion Day, because back then,听 Canada was still part of the British Empire. In 1982, the Canada Act was passed and the holiday was renamed Canada Day, amid controversy that is too lengthy to recount here.

听听听听听听听听听听听 That first federal celebration was officially marked with the ringing of church bells at the Cathedral Church of St. James in Toronto. Throughout the rest of Canada, historical records show that that first celebration had a lot in common with how we celebrate today-with (in no particular order) fireworks, military displays, bonfires, entertainment and excursions. The next year, the Governor General, Viscount Monck, asked Canadians to celebrate the day via a royal proclamation. However, the holiday wasn't actually established as a stat holiday until May, 1879. I could go on, Canada Day has a history that has evolved as unevenly, as messily, and as uniquely as the country itself.听

听听听听听听听听听听听 Even today, Canada Day can be a cause of friction in Quebec, largely because it is a federal holiday. The province's June 24 National Holiday generally takes precedence over Canada Day in the hearts and minds of many Quebecers, and oddly enough, it also coincides with Quebec's Moving Day, when many of the province's apartment rental leases expire. But whether it's viewed with resentment, indifference, or annoyance in La Belle Province, I'd be willing to bet that no one in Quebec would willingly give up a long weekend in summer.

听听听听听听听听听听听 There are a lot of things to celebrate on Canada Day and a lot of things with which Canadians will probably (forever!) disagree. However, I think another long weekend to enjoy during the summer months is something that most of us would support without question. It's time to tinker with our national day once more and turn Canada Day into 'July long.'

听听听听听听听听听听听 Now that would really be something to celebrate.

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Canada Day should be celebrated on July 1

By Kelly Running

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 This week Lynne and I are discussing long weekends and if holidays such as Canada Day should be held on July 1^st despite it landing in the middle of the week or not.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Lynne has taken on the position of it always forming a long weekend, which I'm sure many people would like, however, this undermines the integrity of the day.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 On July 1, 1867, the British North American Act, now known as the Constitution Act, united New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and the Province of Canada (presently the southern portions of Ontario and Quebec).

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Originally known as Dominion Day, it was renamed under the Canada Act in 1982 as Canada Day.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 The day was encouraged to be celebrated, but wasn't made into a statutory holiday until 1879. Initially the celebrations on Canada Day were small, but slowly grew. It wasn't until 1917 that an official celebration was held and then none again for another decade celebrating the golden and diamond anniversaries of the Confederation.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 In essence it is Canada's birthday and as such is celebrated on the day of July 1. Quite often if it lands on a Saturday or Sunday then businesses will move to make Monday a holiday.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 However, if landing on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday we miss out on having a long weekend. This isn't the reason for having the holiday though, it's not about making sure we, in our generation of wants, get a three-day weekend. The day is about celebrating Canada and all that our nation stands for.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Having said this, a mid-week day off actually feels like a mini-Friday and it breaks up the week a little bit more, giving you two 鈥淔riday's鈥� in one week.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 The mini-vacation feels like a free day off making the enjoyable activities on that day something to be looked forward to. It's a fun, relaxing day which might actually work in a way to invigorate a new perspective to accomplish a task at work the following day.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 It's a day to rest and relax, to recharge before heading into the rest of the week.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Besides since when did we become obsessed with three-day weekends? Can we not just be happy with a day off? If we're concerned these days with kids being entitled, is this not just another way that we're perpetuating that entitlement?

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 I might be off base with having Canada Day off, however, because in any job that I've ever had it's actually one of the busiest days of the year. When I was in high school and university I worked at Clancy's on the Beach as a short order cook. Clancy's is at Lac Pelletier, which is a Regional Park near Swift Current. Whether middle of the week or on a weekend because of the activities out at the lake we were always busy either scooping ice cream or making meals.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 This is my first and only job following university, and again Canada Day is a busy one. Lynne ended up in three communities and I took on another three communities, I'm sure there was more going on but we were spread thin.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 So, even if it were a long weekend, I haven't enjoyed it as one in a long time and I suspect there's many people out there that this would ring true for as well. Anyone at a gas station, restaurant, the Moose Mountain Park interpreters, and numerous other businesses stay open for the holiday or have limited hours. Regardless of statutory holiday status many people still work on the day meaning for a large part of the population it wouldn't matter if the day landed in the middle of the week or on either a Monday or Friday extending the weekend. 听 听 听 听 听 听