Remembrance Day may soon be a statutory holiday across Canada. Will you be using that holiday to attend Remembrance Day services, or, as some fear, will the significance of November 11th be reduced to just another day off?
Only 2 MPs voted against Bill C-597, to make November 11 a stat holiday. 258 voted for it. If passed, it would still be up to individual provinces to amend their labour codes in order to make it a day off work.
Some members of the Royal Canadian Legion are concerned that if November 11 is made a stat holiday, it will not be used to honour those who died in wars. Former Branch 212 President Ralph Pulfer in Kemptville says children in school learn the history behind Remembrance Day and what it represents. He, like many other Legion members, is concerned it will become just another day off work. We asked listeners if they thought they would use that day off to head to the cenotaph for services.
The bill heads to the heritage committee now before returning to the Commons for the final vote.