Petition to change the name of "Victoria Day"

[Guest Kenneth]

A group that includes some prominent Canadian actors, writers and politicians is calling on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to change the name of Victoria Day.

Author Margaret Atwood, Green Party leader Elizabeth May and actor Gordon Pinsent are among those behind an online petition to rename the public holiday, which is celebrated on Monday, as "Victoria and First Peoples Day."

Peter Keleghan, an actor and spokesman for the group, says the new name would give Canadians a chance to honour both the Crown and the indigenous peoples of Canada.

"I know there is a great deal of monarchists in this country but I think also that there is also an awful lot of talk about how First Nations people, Inuit people, indigenous people in this country are being treated," he said Sunday.

Victoria Day marks the birthday of Queen Victoria and is celebrated every year on the last Monday before May 25. Quebec celebrates National Patriots' Day on the same day, to honour the rebellion against the British in 1837.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2013/05/19/victoria-day-rename.html

Edited May 22, 2013 by Kenneth

[Guest]

As long as I get my day off they call it Basil Fawlty day if they want.

[eyeball]

Leftists Want to Change the Name of "Victoria Day"

Huh? Why didn't I get the memo? Thanks for the heads up.

I guess I better go see why and what I want it changed to.

[Guest Kenneth]

Yeah, they want to include recognition of Indians for Canada's biggest booze-soaked party weekend... so make sure you sign if with all of your alt accounts, too.

[Argus]

Well, considering Harper doesn't like any of the people involved, and is a big monarchist... good luck with that.

[jacee]

Well, considering Harper doesn't like any of the people involved, and is a big monarchist... good luck with that.

If Harper was a true 'monarchist' he'd have more respect for the Queen's treaties.

I think he's just into the pomp and baubles.

[Guest Kenneth]

Don't these same treaties stipulate that Indians should be compensated with blankets, glass beads, and cheese?

[Moonlight Graham]

That's a pretty long, and odd, name for a holiday. Why not make a national holiday in June and name it after First Nations or something?

[August1991]

To my knowledge, this holiday - third Monday in May - is determined by provincial legislation. In Quebec, it is known for example as the day of Dollard-des-Ormeaux, in reference to the Catholic martyr - or as the day of the Patriots, in reference to 1837.

Margaret Atwood is welcome to request a "Victoria & First Nations Day" but I doubt that many people with any knowledge of northern America (Canada), or its history, would agree with her request.

Edited May 21, 2013 by August1991

[Guest Kenneth]

That's a pretty long, and odd, name for a holiday. Why not make a national holiday in June and name it after First Nations or something?

Many of these people dont consider themselves to be Canadian, yet one of innumerable ways in which Canada has decided to acknowledge them - despite repeated accusations that they are ignored - is through National Aboriginal Day - not a holiday, but then again why should we have a "holiday" to 'celebrate' any ethnic group?

http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100013248/1100100013249

There are 450,000 people in this country who are Welsh or have Welsh ancestry - should there be a holiday to recognize them, too?

Edited May 21, 2013 by Kenneth

[kimmy]

It's sure getting easy to ignore everything the aboriginals complain about. It's all just starting to blur together into one big pity-party. It's kind of like "The Boy Who Cried Wolf", but it's more like "The Boy Who Cried Continuously."

-k

[jacee]

Who actually celebrates the Queen's birthday anymore ... ? If anybody did it would be quite controversial.

The holiday has needed a name change for a long time.

I'd skip the "Victoria" altogether.

[Bryan]

Who actually celebrates the Queen's birthday anymore ... ? If anybody did it would be quite controversial.

The holiday has needed a name change for a long time.

I'd skip the "Victoria" altogether.

I taught my daughter to sing "God save the Queen" this weekend -- does that count?

[jacee]

It's sure getting easy to ignore everything the aboriginals complain about. It's all just starting to blur together into one big pity-party. It's kind of like "The Boy Who Cried Wolf", but it's more like "The Boy Who Cried Continuously."

-k

Kinda off topic here kimmy.

No 'aboriginals' 'complaining' in this thread topic.

[Boges]

Some people want to get rid of Mother's Day too.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/no-more-father-s-mother-s-day-school-nixes-celebration-in-the-post-nuclear-age-1.1287370

[jacee]

I've been mulling this over, and I think we should celebrate the Rebellions of 1837, like Quebec does.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebellions_of_1837

The Rebellions of 1837 were two armed uprisings that took place in Lower and Upper Canada in 1837 and 1838. Both rebellions were motivated by frustrations in political reform. A key shared goal was responsible government, which was eventually achieved in the incidents' aftermath.

...

The rebels believed that the right of citizens to participate in the political process through the election of representatives was the most important right, and they sought to make the legislative council elective rather than appointed. Rebellion in Upper (and Lower Canada also) broke out when it became clear that the reformers' struggles could only be settled outside the framework of existing colonial institutions. The British military crushed the rebellions ...

We need to celebrate the heroes who suffered to bring us some measure of representation in our governments, the beginnings of democracy in Canada.

Edited May 21, 2013 by jacee

[Guest Kenneth]

One has to wonder whether the Indians would have been more fairly treated had Canada remained a loyal little colony rather than a bunch of provinces "governed" by self-serving "elected" politicians. Obviously few care about the real purpose of the holiday - to celebrate and affirm our glorious connection to the British Empire. I wonder what would happen if it was renamed "Beer Day" and every city, town, and village erected a large statue of a beer bottle in a park where people could gather and party?

[jacee]

It better be full of beer and have a spigot, or no one will come!

Oh but you can't have a beer in a park!

Yay Canada!

How 'bout on beer day we can actually have a beer in a park!

No, nobody's interested in celebrating the 'glorious empire' ... except Harper ... but only the trappings not the treaties.

Nah, I'll stick with celebrating the rebellions ... representation in government instead of colonial rule from afar.

Edited May 21, 2013 by jacee

[Boges]

It better be full of beer and have a spigot, or no one will come!

Oh but you can't have a beer in a park!

Yay Canada!

How 'bout on beer day we can actually have a beer in a park!

No, nobody's interested in celebrating the 'glorious empire' ... except Harper ... but only the trappings not the treaties.

Nah, I'll stick with celebrating the rebellions ... representation in government instead of colonial rule from afar.

Actually one of the things McGuinty did was loosen alcohol consumption laws. Now you don't have to be in a fenced off alcohol zone to drink like you have in the past.

Baby steps I guess.

[jacee]

Actually one of the things McGuinty did was loosen alcohol consumption laws. Now you don't have to be in a fenced off alcohol zone to drink like you have in the past.

Baby steps I guess.

Really? I've seen no evidence of that.

[Boges]

Really? I've seen no evidence of that.

If you go to something like a Ribfest or the EX. You used to have to go to a fenced off area to buy and consume alcohol.

For the past few years you haven't had to do those things.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2011/05/23/ontario_on_track_to_loosen_liquor_laws_by_summer_attorney_general.html

Edited May 21, 2013 by Boges

[g_bambino]

To my knowledge, this holiday - third Monday in May - is determined by provincial legislation.

No, it's a federal holiday.

[g_bambino]

Who actually celebrates the Queen's birthday anymore ... ?

Woodbine beach was swarmed on Monday night.

I'd skip the "Victoria" altogether.

So, just "Day"? That's.... uninspiring.

[jacee]

Woodbine beach was swarmed on Monday night.

For fireworks ... but what were they celebrating? Did they even know?

So, just "Day"? That's.... uninspiring.

I think I like it!

But of course it's really 2-4 Day

[g_bambino]

For fireworks ... but what were they celebrating? Did they even know?

I'm pretty sure most people are aware the day is called Victoria Day and that it marks Queen Victoria's birthday. Are as many aware it's simultaneously the reigning monarch's official birthday in Canada? Likely not. But, they were celebrating, anyway!