Discussions

So Sept 19 will be a national holiday for Federal employees to mark the Queens death. But just federal employees not everyone in Canada because she was just the federal workers Queen. Really!

Which are you complaining about? The fact they get the day, or the fact that we don't?

I really do not care if I get the day off or not. Just seems like a great excuse to have another day off.

It's up to the provinces and territories to decide whether it will be a statutory holiday in their respective jurisdictions. So if you have a strong feeling one way or another, let your provincial elected representative know.  
 
The federal government is working with the provinces and territories to align - but they cannot force alignment.

I don't think there is anything offside here. After 75 years as Monarch, it is only respectful that her funeral is recognized. Australia has done the same. The Federal Government can only declare the day for the federal employees. In the news stories I have read, Ottawa is trying to coordinate with the provinces and territories to follow suit.

Trudeau is talking with provinces now to see if they will follow suit. I'm sure we will know soon.  
 
Edited by JANOLE, 2022-09-13 13:42:36

It feels a bit weird to me to have a day off in memory of the queen and then a week later have truth and reconciliation day.

I don't see how it's weird.

Not really fair that only the select few ‘elite’ get to observe this day. Like they don’t already get enough paid time off…

most of the funeral will be over by 9am Manitoba time, apart from the Windsor Castle procession, seems rather pointless having the day off.  
Observe the silences where they fall as a mark of respect, as we would for Remembrance day. No need for everywhere here to shut down.

I know lots of non-elite office workers, teachers, and construction workers who will not be working on Monday. Among my student friends, some are happy to have a break and others are disappointed that they will be missing out on a day of pay because their workplaces will be closed. Can't make everybody happy.  
 
Edited by TheBrofessor, 2022-09-17 10:51:00

Then maybe you don’t know of the connection between residential schools and the queen?

Enlighten those of us that don't know

if this is what sammy is referencing.  
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/indigenous-leaders-provincial-holiday-queen-1.6584307  
 
Edit, or maybe it is just the fact that she was head of the Anglican church, but she would not have been allowed to speak of government affairs. I very much doubt if she was aware at the time of the horrors that occurred in the residential schools.  
By the way the supposed Kamloops kidnapping is a fallacy and has been proven as such. The Queen on that particular tour of Canada got no further West than Ottawa.  
 
Edited by vegimite, 2022-09-17 12:12:50

Schools remain open so there are no teachers who benefit from the holiday in Manitoba

Our local K-12 school has decided to close on the 19th.

Really? Usually it’s not up to the division, but the province so IDK how they’re able to close. But good for them

This has always been something that annoys me regardless of the reason for the day off .  
 
If it’s a paid day off it should be for all not just those special government employees.  
 
In the case where a business chooses to close then they should be paying their staff or stay open so they can work. That day off without pay for someone living paycheque to paycheque is hard

The queen (and the British empire in general) are the major benefactors and perpetuators of colonialism world wide. This has lead to untold suffering of minorities and cultures over centuries of British imperial rule.  
 
The dissonance/hypocrisy is the idea of having a day off to mourn and honor the queen/colonialist rule being immediately followed up by mourning and recognizing the damage colonialism has inflicted on the indigenous peoples of Canada/North America. By recognizing the former, it completely discounts the latter.  
 
Edited by MotorCycleMan, 2022-09-18 10:39:33

here is me thinking that we were mourning the passing of our Queen, nothing whatsoever to do with colonialism.  
We had better start having days off to honour all those other oppressed countries that were part of empires, Dutch, Spanish, German, Belgium, Portuguese etc, even back pre Roman times, with Vikings, Celts. Guess we will finish up not having to work at all.  
Looking at the current history of some of the Colonial countries, and the present troubles in many of them, maybe some of the empires were not that bad.  
Throughout history people have been enslaved and the practice sadly continues today, but the former colonial powers enacted laws to change the system and are sorry for what happened.  
The indigenous school system, run by the various churches, caused great harm to very many children and their families. We are ashamed that it happened, but apologies have been made and hopefully we can move on from a terrible part of history.

Both Sept 19th (Queen) and Sept 30th(truth) should be non-paid holiday or should be a normal working day at your regular hourly rate. Having tax payers pay federal/provincial employees to say home makes no sense.  
 
Also kids do not need more days off and they have enough throughout the year, including teachers PD days. Both Sept 19th and 30th kids should be in school, but, both days should have a period of time discussing what the day is for.

It was an already scheduled professional development day. Screen shot from school division attached.

What, then, are you mourning exactly? The queen only exists because of colonialism. Mourning the death of a monarch is to essentially mourn a colonialist "loss". You cannot separate the two.  
 
Edited by MotorCycleMan, 2022-09-18 18:40:10

sorry but yes you can separate the two.  
We are mourning the passing of a wonderful lady who has been a figurehead for the past 70 years and shown a devotion to duty that was exemplary.  
British colonialism was not just taking what it could from the countries it ruled, it was improving the lives of many, by virtue of the infrastructure and government that it created within those borders. It was not just plundering resources as did some of the other colonial powers.  
 
Edited by vegimite, 2022-09-18 19:04:59

Yes my wife just informed that it was a PD day tomorrow.

 
 
Edited by Gussins, 2022-09-18 21:19:23

Figure head of what?  
A devoted duty to what?  
 
I'm sure the hundreds of thousands of people dead from the British slave trade would share your sentiments regarding their "lives being improved". As I'm sure would the indigenous tribes of North America.

no one should respect or appreciate President Biden because of the practice of slavery. You can indeed appreciate one without discounting the other. Those who blame the Queen for the residential schools have zero understanding of her role and involvement as Monarch. What happens after everyone has apologized?  
 
The Queen has JUST died. This is a national day of mourning on the DAY of her FUNERAL. Should we mourn her six months from now so as not to offend? Also, for the time being at least, this is a one time deal.

After Queen Elizabeth ll dedicated herself to a lifetime of service for the UK, the commonwealth, hundreds of charities and people everywhere we ought to be showing more gratitude towards her memory and the legacy of the monarchy.

but you can't let the facts get in the way of a story.