The prime minister’s comments at a news conference Tuesday morning prompted many to wonder whether they will have the day off next week, while provinces take a piecemeal approach to whether to close schools and workplaces in their jurisdictions. Trudeau said Monday would be a “federal holiday.” It will apply to federal government employees, but not automatically to those working in federally regulated industries – such as banks, airlines, post offices and Crown corporations, Labor Minister Seamus O’Regan wrote afterwards. “Federally regulated employers are welcome to follow suit, but are not required to do so,” O’Regan wrote. Quebec Premier Francois Legault told reporters Tuesday that the day of the queen’s funeral will be a day of remembrance, but not a holiday in the province. He added that he will continue campaigning before Quebecers go to the polls on Oct. 3. Ontario Premier Doug Ford also said there would be no holiday in his province, opting instead for a provincial “Day of Mourning,” with a minute of silence at 1 p.m. “This will give all Ontarians an opportunity to reflect on the remarkable life of Queen Elizabeth II and her relentless commitment to service and duty,” he wrote in a statement. “It also allows students to be at school learning about the many contributions the Queen has made to the people of Ontario, Canada and the entire Commonwealth, as well as the coming of King Charles III.” On the East Coast, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick will have a one-time public holiday on Monday. The remaining provinces and territories have not yet said whether they will designate the day as a holiday. “We’re going to work with the provinces and territories to try to see that we’re aligned on this,” Trudeau said at a news conference in New Brunswick on Tuesday. “There are still some details to be worked out, but the statement of opportunity for Canadians to mourn on Monday will be significant.” “Therefore, on our part, we will inform federal employees that Monday will be a day of mourning,” he added. Meanwhile, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business is asking the provinces not to make Monday a statutory holiday because it would be “deeply unfair to small businesses” on such short notice. “Small businesses already face labor shortages, and requiring them to close or pay their employees half time without notice would be extremely costly or result in a day’s worth of lost productivity,” CFIB President Dan Kelly wrote in a statement which was issued on Tuesday. CTVNews.ca has asked the Privy Council Office if September 19 will be a recurring federal holiday or if it will be a one-off for the Queen’s state funeral and other commemorations, and has yet to hear back. Trudeau and Governor General Mary Simon are both set to travel to the UK for the funeral, but the prime minister said details of who will join them are still being worked out. He said the federal government is in discussions with the UK government and the offices of the opposition leaders to decide who will make up the delegation of Canadian officials. Other Commonwealth countries have already announced public holidays to mark the Queen’s death: the UK will have a public holiday on Monday for the funeral, marking the last day of 10 days of mourning, and Australia and New Zealand will have public holidays on September 22 and 26 respectively. Canada is still in the midst of its official period of mourning for the country’s longest-reigning monarch, with several memorial events planned in Ottawa after the funeral on Monday. A memorial service will be held at Christ Church Cathedral, with government officials, dignitaries and other guests, as well as a parade with the Canadian Armed Forces and RCMP, a 96-gun salute and a CF-18 fighter jet fly-by. Members of Parliament will return to Ottawa ahead of schedule for a “special session” to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday, September 15. This special recall of the House of Commons comes before the start of the fall session, which has been delayed by one day, on September 20 to accommodate the funeral and Canadian commemorations. With files from CTVNews.ca’s Tom Yun and Rachel Aiello
