Mark off Feb. 11, 2013 on your calendars – Premier Christy Clark announced that Family Day, B.C.’s newest statutory holiday, will take place on the second Monday each February starting next year.
While the concept of Family Day itself seems a bit silly – don’t we spend most public holidays with our families? – I’m not one to complain about an extra day off work.
Still, the premier’s announcement seems very calculated to gain some popularity. Give anyone a break from work and they’re bound to love you, right?
Also, the government appears to have learned from its mistakes and made sure to involve the public in selecting a day for the holiday.
According to a statement, record numbers of British Columbians participated in online discussions by sharing their thoughts about the holiday and registering a preference. A total of 31,146 people responded to the online poll, with 18,202 indicating a preference for the second Monday in February and 9,346 indicating a preference for the third. There were 3,508 people who responded but didn’t indicate a preference.
This choice sets B.C. apart from five other provinces that also get a holiday in February – Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Prince Edward Island and Saskatchewan – however, these provinces take their break on the third Monday in February.
Apparently by being different from the rest of the country, British Columbians can go skiing and shopping with fewer line-ups.
Although it appears Clark has tried very hard to please her province, many small business owners and financial workers are upset by the news. (Proof that you can’t please everyone.)
Business owners are concerned about the extra costs associated with paying workers to take the day off. According to a statement from John van Dongen, MLA for Abbotsford South, a new stat holiday will mean an average cost of $1,135 to a small business with fewer than five employees.
Financial industry employees say they will not be able to spend time with their families because the holiday is different from the rest of Canada and stock markets will be open on that date. For these parents, that means additional daycare costs because their children won’t be in school.
I plan on happily enjoying my holiday along with many other British Columbians, but it will be interesting to see if voters remember the government’s efforts to please when they visit the polls a few months later.
