Sunday, July 01, 2007

Happy Canada Day... except...



When is Canada Day not Canada Day, even though it (wink, wink) is still Canada Day?

From the Holidays Act

"CANADA DAY TO BE OBSERVED MONDAY, JULY 2

Although most people know July 1 as Canada Day, this year the public holiday marking Canada's birthday and labour standards related to it will be observed on Monday, July 2.

The Federal Holidays Act defining Canada Day states that when July 1 falls on a Sunday, Canada Day is moved to Monday, July 2."

The fact that, across Canada, Canada Day is actually CELEBRATED on July 1st, seems to be a point missed in the schizophrenic legislation regarding Canada Day.

I once called the Department of Consumer and Corporate Affairs to question why, if "Canada Day is moved to Monday, July 2", why all the celebrations are held on July 1st.

The conversation that followed was like something out of 1984.

Them: "Well, Canada Day IS celebrated on July 2"
Me: Then why are all the newspapers full of July 1 schedules? Why are the fireworks... the ones on Parliament Hill... on July 1? Why are the national advertising campaigns from the federal and provincial governments all stating that the celebrations are on July 1?
Them: I wouldn't know. Canada Day is observed on July 2 when July 1 is a Sunday.
Me No... They are observed on July 1. July 2 may be a day off when Canada Day falls on a Sunday but CANADA DAY is being OBSERVED on July 1.
Them: Canada Day is July 2 when July 1 is on a Sunday
Me: Okay then. Why do people who work retail not get to celebrate Canada Day along with every other Canadian citizen?
Them: They get July 2 off to celebrate Canada Day because Canada Day is July 2.
Me: But all the celebrations are on July 1. This means that the rest of Canadians get to watch the fireworks, see the parades, get drink and urinate on the national War Memorial [okay, I made that last one up for this posting] while the minimum wage-slaves, who, of all Canadians should get the day off like everyone else, have to toils away.
Them: They get Canada Day, July 2 off. Canada Day is observed on July 2.
Me: No... Canada Day is OBSERVED on July 1. You can CALL Monday July 2 anything you want but Canada Day is observed in practice on July 1.
Them: Canada Day is July 2.

You would think that, if they are going to go as far as to try and slip this one by unsuspecting Canadians, they would at least try and do a better job arguing their point.

The fat is that retailers wanted a cash-grab for Canada Day and lobbied the government into this moronic piece of legislation. In fact, as anyone who works retail on Canada Day (on Sunday July 1) will tell you, stores are not full of eager shoppers wanting to spend the day shopping. They are off at their cottages, up on Parliament Hill or the town square celebrating Canada Day, while people who earn minimum wage are toiling a day away with a regular day's pay, missing all the celebrations.

Happy Canada Day, suckers....

And, in the WTF!!???!! department...


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Still wish we had a better theme song...