Earlier this week, Lisa Macleod, the Progressive Conservative MPP for Nepean-Carleton, introduced a private members bill calling for Remembrance Day to be recognized as a statutory holiday in Ontario. Tabled as the Respect for Ontario Veterans, Soldiers and War Dead Act, Macleod seeks to have Family Day abolished in favour of a yearly stat holiday on November 11th.
"Canadian veterans, soldiers and our war dead have done their part for freedom and democracy," says Macleod. "Now it is up to us to enshrine in law a statutory holiday that would allow all Ontarians to show their pride and support at Cenotaphs across Ontario on Remembrance Day."
As usual, the MPP has drawn hefty amounts of criticism - but she's also received a lot of support. Personally, this is a bill that I fully stand behind. In fact, during my first year of studies at Loyalist College in 2007, political science was one of my subjects. For my final assignment in the course, I had to write a report on what I would do or what my goals would be if I was ever elected to political office. In my report, I discussed how we should do more to honour our veterans, and even mentioned the idea of Remembrance Day being a holiday.
On a local level, I think Belleville can do more to improve its veterans affairs/relations. Belleville hosts a great ceremony at our Cenotaph and parade on November 11th. Yet maybe Belleville can do more to help veterans communicate just what they experienced in the front lines of battle. Perhaps City Hall can negotiate with the Empire Theatre or Cineplex and offer free showings of a film such as Saving Private Ryan, or maybe they can ask some of our local Afghanistan war vets to write articles for The Intelligencer highlighting some of their memories of war - just some ideas....
I think this is a great idea, banks already take the day off anyways. Having it a stat holiday would make going to ceremonies easy for all.
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