Happy Family Day, Ontario!

Other / Canada

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Today marks the first celebration of Family Day in Ontario. It’s a new statutory holiday (as you may have noticed if you tried to do any shopping today) that fulfills Dalton McGuinty’s promise to add a new stat day in February. Ontario isn’t the first province to celebrate Family Day — Alberta started the trend in 1990 and Manitoba jumped on board last year. Celebrated on the third Monday in February, Family Day coincides with President’s Day in the US — no doubt an effort to normalize trade issues between nations that differing holidays can create.

If you live in Ontario and would like to learn more about our new paid holiday, take a peek at this comprehensive FAQ assembled by the Minstry of Labour.

Personally, I’m not a huge fan of this “Family Day” concept. It just feels too generic. I would have preferred something with a little more national or provincial meaning. What about you?


6 responses to “Happy Family Day, Ontario!”

  1. Boo Radley says:

    Happy Family Day!

    Yep, I agree with you on this Jim. The term “Family Day” is too generic and dull. Doesn’t make the day feel special at all. I would’ve preferred a more “patriotic” meaning to the holiday.

    I also think that coming right after Valentine’s day ruins the possibility of any good preparation for the holiday. Some may argue it’s a good thing… who wants Best Buy and other greedy corporations finding yet another opportunity to flood us with their “deals” and sell us their products getting us yet into more debt. But I think the holiday is really meaningless. Sure I love the extra day off, but it could have been prepared in a better way or at least given a better name.

  2. Luc says:

    I live in Quebec and as odd as it may first sound, I am not in favour of my province adopting this holiday. No, I’m not a workaholic. The reason for this is quite simple.

    My company (a very large multi-national) gives Canadian employees 12 days off (in addition to vacation and weekends) per year. For those living in Ontario, the company took away a “floater” day that was normally taken in the summer and moved it to February. So, employees don’t get an additional day off but rather a day off at the cottage or beach is now replaced with a day off in sub zero weather.

    I’d prefer to work in February and have the time off during the summer.

  3. Justin S. says:

    actually, this is the first year for Manitoba, not second. The bill was passed last year, but after February.

  4. willowsprite says:

    What better thing to celebrate than family? Without family, where would we be? Isn’t it the most important thing in the world? Why do we have to have another “patriotic” day? Isn’t that what Canada and Victoria day are for?

  5. Dave says:

    How is this a deal? Where are the savings?

  6. Jim Squires says:

    Dave — if you’re that dead set against reading anything that’s not a deal, you can always click on the categories to the right before reading the site. That will make sure you’re not reading anything in the “Other/Canada” category. Hope that helps!


















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