Alberta will not make day of the Queen’s funeral a provincial holiday
Posted Sep 14, 2022 10:27 am.
Last Updated Sep 15, 2022 1:19 pm.
Alberta will not mark Monday, Sept. 19, the day of the Queen’s funeral, as a provincial holiday to honour Queen Elizabeth II.
Instead, the province says it declared Monday “a provincial day of mourning.”
The province says it will hold an outdoor ceremony at the legislature building at 10 a.m. starting with a moment of silence.
The government says it encourages employers to make accommodations for staff to attend the ceremony or mark the occasion themselves.
“Albertans, Canadians and the peoples of the Commonwealth will join together on this day in sorrow to mourn the death of Her late Majesty and to commemorate her long and faithful service. I sincerely hope that Albertans find some time on this day to honour the remarkable life of Queen Elizabeth II and I strongly encourage employers and schools to appropriately mark this sombre and historic occasion,” Premier Jason Kenney said.
READ MORE: This is how Calgary will mark the day of Queen’s funeral
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declared Tuesday that the day of her funeral would be a federal holiday.
He said federal employees will get the day off, but it will be up to provincial and territorial governments to make that decision for other workers.
However, some provinces are not on board.
Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, and Ontario have decided it will not be a holiday, opting to keep schools and businesses open.
Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson has also said the province will close all non-essential government services.
Premier Doug Ford says Ontario “will mark Sep. 19, 2022 as a provincial Day of Mourning in lieu of a provincial holiday.”
British Columbia, meanwhile, has opted to give public sector employees, as well as schools and post-secondary institutions, the day off. That move has been met with frustration from many, who say they are now left scrambling to make childcare arrangements.
Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, and New Brunswick have also announced similar plans for Monday.
–With files from Tiffany Goodwein, Michael Ranger, Mike Lloyd, Hana Mae Nassar, Mark Neufeld, and Michael Talbot.
