What is Family Day? (Canada)

In parts of Canada, Family Day is a statutory holiday occurring on a Monday in February. In the provinces of Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Saskatchewan, it is observed on the third Monday of February. In the provinces of Manitoba and Prince Edward Island, the statutory holiday on this date is instead termed Louis Riel Day and Islander Day, respectively. British Columbia began to celebrate Family Day on the second Monday of February in 2013. As of 2013, two-thirds of Canadians live in a province that observes a February statutory holiday. Except in British Columbia, the timing of Family Day coincides with Presidents Day in the United States.

The second and third Mondays in February are regular working days in Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and the territories. As Family Day is not currently recognized in the federal sphere, federal employees in all provinces (such as public servants and postal workers) still work on this day. In Newfoundland and Labrador, the third Monday of February is a school board holiday, but not an official provincial holiday.

Family Day

Alberta

The holiday was first celebrated in 1990. Alberta was the only province in Canada to have a statutory holiday in February, until it was proposed in Saskatchewan beginning in 2007.

The holiday was proclaimed by Lieutenant Governor Helen Hunley, on the advice of her premier, Don Getty. Premier Getty said it was important for all Albertans to take time for their families and this holiday would emphasize the importance of family values.

Getty came in for considerable criticism at the time. Many employers felt that an additional statutory holiday was an unnecessary financial burden. In response to the criticism, the holiday of Heritage Day was downgraded to a civic holiday, meaning employers are not required to observe this day. Under Alberta law, the employer may choose to observe Heritage Day as a general holiday, under which rules applying to general holiday pay will be used.

Saskatchewan

In October 2006, Saskatchewan's Premier Lorne Calvert proposed the holiday for the province, beginning in 2007. The bill for the Labour Standards Amendment Act, 2006, was introduced in the legislature on November 1, 2006, and received Royal Assent on December 6. The act officially declares the third Monday of each February Family Day and came into effect immediately; the first Family Day in Saskatchewan was February 19, 2007.

The overall effect in annual days off remains unchanged for many, as Easter Monday is no longer considered a holiday by private businesses. Businesses suggested it might cost them as much as $140 million a year for this new holiday, and have requested tax breaks to soften the economic impact. The Saskatchewan government has given $95-million corporate tax cuts, but most of the companies benefiting have adjusted the official days off such that the annual allotment remains exactly the same.

Ontario

During the Ontario provincial election in 2007, Dalton McGuinty of the Liberal Party promised that if re-elected premier he would establish a provincial holiday in February. On 12 October 2007, the provincial government established Family Day, with the first being observed on 18 February 2008. Its creation raised Ontario's number of public holidays to nine per year. However, this holiday does not necessarily add to the number of holidays Ontarians receive, as employers can substitute any non-statutory holidays that employees may already be receiving in lieu of this day. Many employers have substituted the popular Civic Holiday, which falls on the first Monday in August. Although the Civic Holiday is enjoyed by millions every year, it is not public (statutory), and workers may have to choose one holiday or the other, based on their contract, union negotiations, service requirements, etc.

British Columbia

A private member's bill to establish Family Day on the third Monday in February was introduced in the British Columbia Legislature by Liberal MLA Bob Chisholm in 1994 but failed to pass. Although there were renewed calls to introduce Family Day in B.C. between 2007 and 2011, it was opposed by the British Columbia Chamber of Commerce and the Campbell government.

On January 10, 2011, while running for the leadership of the BC Liberal Party, Christy Clark proposed establishing a Family Day holiday on the third Monday of February. Clark subsequently became premier; the Speech from the Throne, delivered on October 3, 2011, said that BC would observe its first Family Day on February 18, 2013.

In 2012, a two-week consultation process was held in order to determine if British Columbians preferred the holiday to fall on the second or third Monday in February. On May 28, 2012, it was announced that Family Day would be observed on the second Monday in February each year, starting February 11, 2013.

Other names

Louis Riel Day

In February 2007, it was reported that the Manitoba government was considering a February holiday. Legislation proclaiming the third Monday in February as Louis Riel Day was passed by Manitoba's Legislative Assembly on April 17, 2007, and first celebrated February 18, 2008. The day is known as Louis Riel Day, a name suggested by Manitoba school students, in honour of Louis Riel, the Métis leader regarded as the Father of Manitoba.

Islander Day

The provincial government of Prince Edward Island introduced Islander Day first in 2009 due to the rising trend of a holiday in February. First held on the second Monday of February in 2009, much controversy followed in most business being hurt with being out of sync with their partners in other provinces which held Family Day on the third Monday of each February; which coincided with business partners from the U.S.A which held their President's Day on the third Monday. Provincial Attorney General Gerard Greenan introduced a change to mark the holiday on the third Monday in February in April of that year.

Elsewhere

With the growing trend of establishing a statutory holiday on this date, governments in the remaining jurisdictions without February holidays have come under some pressure to harmonize. Ontario's enactment of Family Day has meant the Canadian financial sector, including the Toronto Stock Exchange, largely shuts down on this date. In 2008, federal NDP leader Jack Layton proposed it be made a federal holiday. Unless and until this were to happen, federally regulated workplaces (such as the post office) will continue to work on Family Day regardless of the day's status in the respective provinces.

On September 5, 2010, while campaigning for re-election, New Brunswick Premier Shawn Graham promised to establish Family Day in his province if his Liberal Party was returned to government. Graham did not win re-election.

Canada's Penny No More, Feb 4, 2013

That's it for Canada's penny: Today is the last day the coin will be distributed after minting stopped in May as a cost-saving measure. Still, there are 6 billion pennies in circulation, so they could be around for a long time: "We estimate three to four years" as they are pulled from circulation, says a Royal Canadian Mint rep. For cash shoppers, that means prices will be rounded up or down to the nearest nickel; for those paying by card, prices won't change, the Province reports.

Consumers can drop pennies off at their local banks, donate them to charities, or use them at stores' discretion, the Globe and Mail notes. Just 52.9% of Canada's Retail Council members are ready for the shift, the council found. Some 81.5% think it'll cost them no more than $5,000. As for consumers, "the net impact ... is that it balances out," says an analyst.
An Introspective World reflects on more than 150 years of Canadian pennies:

• The first was minted in 1858.

• Since 1908, 35 billion have been minted—enough to circle the Earth 16 times.

• A 1936 one-cent coin known as the Dot is worth a lot more than a cent: One recently sold for $402,500.

On a separate note, today's Canadian Google doodle features a penny, the Global News reports.

Now how long until the Nickel, Dime and every other physical currency go the way of the penny. We all know electronic transfers are the way of the future, well today has been a significant stepping stone in my opinion.

We can also look forward to the United States discontinuing the penny. Will the news of US penny discontinuation receive as much media attention as that of the Canadian penny? We expect the US to cancel the penny program before 2014 and move on parallel with Canada in eliminating the coinage currencies from circulation.

It is for the best to progressively eliminate the coin currency from circulation. As everyone over 18 is eligible for a debit/credit card the need for physical currency becomes redundant, aside from children and people with bad credit, nobody should be without some sort of electronic payment capability.

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Related Posts
Last Days of the Canadian Penny
March 30, 2012

Ottawa Keeping Penny Alive Till 2013 to Appease Retailers’ Concerns
July 31, 2012

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Canadian Hospitality

Oh hey there, you having some car troubles, eh?

Ya we're trying to get to the North Pole, I don't suppose your from triple A.

Who?

Triple A, you know? AAA.

Oh AA, eh. Oh I just came from AA, eh.

No not AA, AAA.

Ya that's what I said AA, eh.

Oh so you are with triple A?

Oh no that's AAA, I just came from AA, eh.

Huh?

Stewie, I think he's just a drunk.

Well drunk or not can you help us?

I can if you want to join AA, eh.

No! I'm already a member of AAA, I need help with the car.

Oh I see, ya it looks like you've got some water leakage. You might need a hose, eh.

José, Roberta whatever, if you've got some latinos up her that can fix cars that would be great.

No I mean it looks like you need a part, eh.

Well ya, when it's fixed we can celebrate but let's deal with first things first.

Well I can probably take you to a gas station, eh. You have cash, eh?

Well I don't know, my name caries a little weight but I don't see how that matters here.

Look we don't have enough cash to fix the car, and we're kind of on our way to the North Pole.

Oh a car wont take you there anyway, but if you like you can take my snow mobile.

Really? You'll just give it to us?

Oh sure, that's what Canadian hospitality's all aboot.

If you like, you can have all my money and my leg.

Okay.

Stewie and Brian meet an Average Canadian,
Family Guy Road to the North Pole, Part 1, Episode 172

Living in 'CA' Rocks

So the area code 'CA' is that supposed to be Canada or California (An American State)?

For example Canada is a county and therefore has presidency over a single state. But then again, from the 2011 census California, USA has a greater population by 3,209,133 people, that's like 91% of California's population is equal to the entire Canadian population.

So as a Canadian I tend to assume CA is short for Canada, unless there is reference to American material then chances are the abbreviation is being used for California.

Canada 34,482,779 - 2011

California 37,691,912 - 2011

If one of the 50 American states' population outnumber all of Canada, then Canada has very few people in comparison to The United States, but then considering there are billions and billions of people residing in densely concentrated cities in only a few Eastern countries then by relation the US isn't overly populated, and Canada is practically empty, this is nice, it feels like Canada is the first class of the global community. Tons of leg room, fresh air, pretty of food and resources, life is sweet.

Ottawa Keeping Penny Alive Till 2013 to Appease Retailers’ Concerns

Canada's one-cent coin has been granted a brief reprieve from the scrap heap in order to placate retailers worried about a lack of pennies during the busy holiday season.

The federal government announced Monday it is postponing plans to stop circulating pennies this fall and will instead end distribution on Feb. 4, 2013.

As they disappear from circulation, Canadians will be forced to round off cash transactions to the nearest nickel.

“The revised date was set following initial consultations with small business and retailers who requested the transition date occur after the busy holiday shopping season,” the federal Finance Department said Monday.

“This will ensure all those participating in the transition will have ample time to prepare their business, train staff and better inform consumers.”

The federal government stopped minting new pennies this past April, ending close to 150 years of Canadian penny production, but it is still ensuring there's a fair supply of the coins by distributing them to banks and other financial institutions.

The Harper government announced earlier in the spring that it was scrapping the penny, ending production of a coin that weighs down consumers' pockets while adding little to their purchasing power.

Back then, Ottawa had announced it planned to turn off the supply tap of pennies in the fall.

Karen Proud, vice-president of government relations for the Retail Council of Canada, said the new February deadline – after the Christmas shopping period – gives merchants more breathing room “so our members can really prepare and be ready and so that the consumer doesn't see any sort of chaos at the cash.”

She said retailers are pretty happy the changeover doesn’t come at “their busiest time of year.”

It costs Ottawa 1.5 cents to make each penny and eliminating this coin will save taxpayers $11-million annually.

Ottawa has suggested businesses round off cash transactions to the nearest five-cent increment but says it is leaving this to merchants and consumers to work out for themselves.

This rounding off would occur after taxes had been applied to the purchase and would not be necessary for credit or debit transactions.

The Royal Canadian Mint produced 660 million pennies in 2011, federal officials said.

Canada is hardly alone in scrapping the penny. At least 17 countries have ceased production of low-denomination coins over the past four decades.

Ottawa says it won't be policing consumer-business transactions, but added that “businesses are expected to round prices in a fair, consistent and transparent manner.”

It couldn't guarantee consumers would be better off, but cited a 2005 Bank of Canada study that concluded the inflationary impact of eliminating the penny would be “small or non-existent.”

The government doesn't know exactly how many pennies remain in circulation, including those piling up in jars or cans. It noted that the study, by Desjardins Group, estimates Canadians could be hoarding several billion pennies.

Federal officials said more than 35 billion pennies have been minted in Canada in the past 104 years. This, they've noted, would weigh 94 million kilograms. – or as much as 1,500 Leopard 2 tanks.

The federal government is encouraging charities to collect pennies from Canadians and redeem them through banks and the mint as a fundraising venture.

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Related Posts
Last Days of the Canadian Penny
March 30, 2012

Canada's Penny No More, Feb 4, 2013
February 4, 2013

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USA vs Canada

 Admit it
You now want to live in Canada

Canada Day

Canada Day is on Sunday, July 1, 2012.


Canada Day (French: Fête du Canada) is the national day of Canada, a federal statutory holiday celebrating the anniversary of the July 1, 1867, enactment of the British North America Act, 1867 (today called the Constitution Act, 1867, in Canada), which united three colonies into a single country called Canada within the British Empire. Originally called Dominion Day (French: Le Jour de la Confédération), the name was changed in 1982, the year the Canada Act was passed. Canada Day observances take place throughout Canada as well as by Canadians internationally.

Frequently referred to as "Canada's birthday", particularly in the popular press, the occasion marks the joining of the British North American colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Province of Canada into a federation of four provinces (the Province of Canada being divided, in the process, into Ontario and Quebec) on July 1, 1867. Canada became a kingdom in its own right on that date, but the British Parliament kept limited rights of political control over the new country that were shed by stages over the years until the last vestiges were surrendered in 1982 when the Constitution Act patriated the Canadian constitution.

Under the federal Holidays Act, Canada Day is observed on July 1 unless that date falls on a Sunday, in which case July 2 is the statutory holiday, although celebratory events generally take place on July 1 even though it is not the legal holiday. If it falls on a Saturday, any businesses normally closed that day will generally dedicate the following Monday as a day off.

It is traditional for every Canadian to wear red clothing and apparel as a part of the celebrations.

Most communities across the country will host organized celebrations for Canada Day, usually outdoor public events, such as parades, carnivals, festivals, barbecues, air and maritime shows, fireworks, and free musical concerts, as well as citizenship ceremonies for new citizens. There is no standard mode of celebration for Canada Day; professor of International Relations at the University of Oxford Jennifer Welsh said of this: "Canada Day, like the country, is endlessly decentralized. There doesn't seem to be a central recipe for how to celebrate it—chalk it up to the nature of the federation." However, the locus of the celebrations is the national capital, Ottawa, Ontario, where large concerts and cultural displays are held on Parliament Hill, with the governor general and prime minister typically officiating, though the monarch or another member of the Royal Family may also attend or take the governor general's place. Smaller events are mounted in other parks around the city and in Gatineau, Quebec.

Given the federal nature of the holiday, celebrating Canada Day can be a cause of friction in the province of Quebec, where the holiday is overshadowed by Quebec's National Holiday, on June 24. For example, the federal government funds Canada Day events at the Old Port of Montreal—an area run by a federal Crown corporation—while the National Holiday parade is a grassroots effort that has been met with pressure to cease, even from federal officials. The nature of the event has also been met with criticism outside of Quebec, such as that given by Ottawa Citizen columnist David Warren, who said in 2007: "The Canada of the government-funded paper flag-waving and painted faces—the 'new' Canada that is celebrated each year on what is now called 'Canada Day'—has nothing controversially Canadian about it. You could wave a different flag, and choose another face paint, and nothing would be lost."

Canada Day also coincides with Quebec's Moving Day, when many fixed-lease apartment rental terms expire. The bill changing the province's moving day from May 1 to July 1 was introduced by a federalist member of the Quebec National Assembly, Jérôme Choquette in 1973, in order not to affect children still in school in the month of May.

Last Days of the Canadian Penny

Canada is scrapping the penny, ending production this year of a coin that weighs down consumers’ pockets while adding little to their purchasing power.

The government announced in Thursday’s federal budget that it will shortly jettison the one-cent coin – a casualty of Ottawa’s drive for efficiency and thrift.

“It costs taxpayers a penny-and-a-half every time we make one,” Finance Minister Jim Flaherty told the Commons, adding the move will save taxpayers $11-million annually.

Mr. Flaherty, whose department described the penny as a “nuisance” in budget documents, said the 2.35-gram coin is now more trouble than it’s worth. “Pennies take up too much space on our dressers at home,” Mr. Flaherty added. “They take up far too much time for small businesses trying to grow and create jobs.”

The last one-cent coin will be minted this April, ending what federal officials say is close to 150 years of Canadian penny production. The Royal Canadian Mint will stop distributing pennies to financial institutions in the fall of 2012 and the government will work to withdraw one-cent coins from circulation. The increasing scarcity of pennies means Canadians will have to get used to cash transactions being rounded off if they’ve got no pennies on hand.

A study by one Canadian financial institution, Desjardins Group, estimates the economic costs of the penny for the private sector total $150-million annually. This includes counting, storing and transporting the coins.

The government had no estimates Thursday on how many pennies remain in circulation, including those piling up in jars or cans. It noted that the study by Desjardins Group estimates Canadians could be hoarding several billion pennies.

Federal officials said more than 35 billion pennies have been minted in Canada in the past 104 years. This, they noted Thursday, would weigh 94 million kilograms – or as much as 1,500 Leopard 2 tanks.
The federal government says it will encourage charities to collect pennies from Canadians and redeem them through banks and the mint as a fundraising venture.

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Related Posts
Ottawa Keeping Penny Alive Till 2013 to Appease Retailers’ Concerns
July 31, 2012

Canada's Penny No More, Feb 4, 2013
February 4, 2013

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The Million Dollar Coin – a true milestone in minting

Million Dollar Coin

Incredible, but true: in 2007 the Royal Canadian Mint produced the world's first million dollar coin. The 100 kg, 99999 pure gold bullion coin with a $1 million face value was originally conceived as a unique showpiece to promote the Mint's new line of 99999 pure 1 oz Gold Maple Leaf bullion coins. After several interested buyers came forward, the Mint decided to make a very limited quantity available for sale. To date, five of these majestic gold bullion coins, weighing 3,215 troy ounces each, have been purchased by investors from Canada and abroad.


In October 2007, the Million Dollar Coin was certified by Guinness World Records to be the world's largest gold coin. The coins are manufactured at the Mint's Ottawa facility, where the Mint operates world-class gold and silver refineries, securely stores gold bullion and mints all Royal Canadian Mint gold bullion products and collector coins.


The reverse features an elegant, hand-polished maple leaf design by Royal Canadian Mint artist and senior engraver Stan Witten, and the obverse bears the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by celebrated Canadian portrait artist Susanna Blunt.


Why did the Royal Canadian Mint make the world's purest and largest gold bullion coin?
Because we can.

Specifications:
Face value: $1,000,000
Composition: 99999 fine gold
Weight (in troy oz.): 3215
Weight (kg): 100


Definition of 99999 purity  
Gold (Au) which is 99.999% pure is defined as having a total of less than 10 parts per million of the following elements: Ag, Al, As, Bi, Cr, Cu, Fe, In, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Pd, Pt, Sn, Si, Ti, Zn and Zr. This refers to the bulk material below the coin surface.