Should Remembrance Day be a national holiday?

[Fighting Banana Slug]

No problem with making it a national holiday, but I still think many will be upset with the notion that people may not treat it in the same way they would like. People are going to shop, live their lives and may not give veterans 2 seconds of thought, just becuase it is a holiday. I would venture a guess that it might even turn it into Canada's version of "Black Friday", where retailers pull hard to bring in shoppers.

Fact is, holidays signifying or celebrating long dead royalty, birth of baby jesus, resurection of mr. jesus, past labour inequalities or whatever, doesn't necessarily mean people will give any thought to those ideas. To think otherwise likely does a disservice to those veterans, as exercising our freedom is likely what is most precious.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by waner

It means kicking me out of a hotel or preventing me from shopping that day doesn't actually make me remember veterans. It doesn't make me appreciate what they did anymore, doesn't make me think about what they did or the sacrifices that they made.

I think that more should be done to raise awareness, especially amongst kids, that would get people to actively get involved in Rememberance Day events or to learn more about what Remembrance Day is all about.

Trying to alter people's lives by restricting what they can do, in my opinion, isn't going to raise anymore awareness, create any more respect or enhance the importance of Remembrance Day in people's lives.

You mean raise awareness by making it a holiday with closure of "services" similiar to Christmas day????

[Fighting Banana Slug]

double post

[polak]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

You know, you might have some good points to make, but in far to many discussions you go to the extreme.

I am not advocating that you "force people to stay home all day and do nothing". Perhaps you could point out where I advocated for that approach.

Try to turn down the hysterics and you might get a little further.....

That's fair.

I don't know why I went on the offensive here... We both agree we just want to honor them in a different way.

My bad.

[waner]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

You mean raise awareness by making it a holiday with closure of "services" similiar to Christmas day????

I doubt that does much to raise awareness more than already exists but if that is what they want sure go ahead, but that is a big step from closing hotels, restaurants, gas stations etc. as was implied, or outright said, in the post I quoted.

[Delthefunky]

Thought this was interesting:

http://www.cbc.ca/doczone/episodes/f...en-of-the-78th

[icarus]

I think it should be.

ANZAC Day is a national holiday in Australia and New Zealand. Many people tend to use the day to go to the local RSL (think Royal Canadian Legion, but with more effort).

Strangely there tends also to be alcohol and gambling involved but the retired servicemen don't seem to mind; I think the serving ANZAC forces in WWI and WWII were known for this and wore it as a badge of pride!

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Delthefunky

Thought this was interesting:

http://www.cbc.ca/doczone/episodes/f...en-of-the-78th

And to me this is why Nov 11 should be a stat.


There are still families that have relatives that are MIA for nearly 100 yrs.


Thanks for posting that Del.

[IgiTang]

For those who serve in public protective services, yes. For everyone else... I dunno.. I'm of the position, they died for us to be free and to enjoy a stable work atmosphere. Get your ass to work. Lol... J/k.

Who knows. What I do know is I think its a day that people should be able to do what ever they want that isn't criminal and not feel guilty about it. Be free.. That's what they died for.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

Yes. End of discussion.

In Nova Scotia retail stores are allowed to be open every day of the year, whatever hours they desire EXCEPT for Remembrance Day. As it should be.

[FlamesAddiction]

I actually miss the days when most stores were closed even on Sundays, never mind stat holidays.. It was nice to have one peaceful day like that where you either didn't feel like you needed to get things done, or where you wouldn't have to fight traffic just to go and do something recreational.

A lot of people will never know what it was like to have that.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I actually miss the days when most stores were closed even on Sundays, never mind stat holidays.. It was nice to have one peaceful day like that where you either didn't feel like you needed to get things done, or where you wouldn't have to fight traffic just to go and do something recreational.

A lot of people will never know what it was like to have that.

Can't you just not go to stores on Sunday? Why does something being open have to change the way you behave.

As for traffic outside of McLeod trail I have never noticed traffic on a weekend.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by GGG

Can't you just not go to stores on Sunday? Why does something being open have to change the way you behave.

As for traffic outside of McLeod trail I have never noticed traffic on a weekend.

Grocery stores for example do most of their business on a Saturday and Sunday, which is also the 2 days where staff is needed the most. The vast majority of staff get days off during the week when their kids are in school or their spouse is working. It would be great for everyone if retail stores were closed on Sundays.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by GGG

Can't you just not go to stores on Sunday? Why does something being open have to change the way you behave.

As for traffic outside of McLeod trail I have never noticed traffic on a weekend.

It's a chain reaction that is impossible to avoid. Sundays used to be a day that was dedicated to spending with family/friends, completing non-consumerist activities. It was quality time where you could count on people being available. With no break in retail activities, even if some people wanted still behave like everything was shut down for the day, there are enough people around us forced to be part of it, that it becomes just another day.

I am all for completely shutting most things down on stats so that people can spend more time with each other on those days. It is something missing from our culture IMO (unless our culture really just is about consumerism).

[waner]

If people aren't spending time together because they are too busy shopping on a Sunday it is unlikely they will start to spend quality time together just because the stores are closed now. They likely just find something else to do instead of spending time with families.

Stores being opened on Sundays isn't preventing people from spending quality time with each other it is people's lack of desire to do so that is stopping it.

[waner]

Originally Posted by Dion

Grocery stores for example do most of their business on a Saturday and Sunday, which is also the 2 days where staff is needed the most. The vast majority of staff get days off during the week when their kids are in school or their spouse is working. It would be great for everyone if retail stores were closed on Sundays.

How is it great for the university/high school students who are in class during the week so like the Saturday/Sunday shifts so they can make money? or a spouse who stays home with their kids during the week and can pick up extra cash for the family by working weekend shifts while the other spouse is with the children? Doesn't seem like it would be great for those people.

Not sure how it would be great for me at all either. Forgot something for Sunday dinner, out of luck. Want something for the kids lunch for the week, too bad. Want to get groceries while my kids are playing at a friends house, nope I have forced 24 hour family time.

[albertGQ]

A lot of people are too busy to go grocery shopping during the week. And heaven forbid they have a busy Saturday too. Wedding to attend? Kid's hockey tournament? Dance competition? Family BBQ? Short road trip to Banff?
Sorry, you can't do any of those things. You need to buy food that day for the week because the grocery store is closed on Sundays. And you don't want your family to go hungry during the week right?

It's funny that the veterans fought and some gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom and some suggest we take away the peoples' freedom once a week every week. Seems backwards to me.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by albertGQ

A lot of people are too busy to go grocery shopping during the week. And heaven forbid they have a busy Saturday too. Wedding to attend? Kid's hockey tournament? Dance competition? Family BBQ? Short road trip to Banff?
Sorry, you can't do any of those things. You need to buy food that day for the week because the grocery store is closed on Sundays. And you don't want your family to go hungry during the week right?

It's funny that the veterans fought and some gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom and some suggest we take away the peoples' freedom once a week every week. Seems backwards to me.

To be clear I am asking for 1 out of 365. In fact, let everthing open up on Dec 25, and make Nov 11 the same service levels as Dec 25.

[FlamesAddiction]

Make it half a day off at least. Keep everything closed until 11:01am.

Even though it is not a stat here in Ontario, the company I work for encourages people to go to the cenotaph in the morning and we get to charge our time for it.

[Chill Cosby]

Originally Posted by waner

Stores being opened on Sundays isn't preventing people from spending quality time with each other it is people's lack of desire to do so that is stopping it.

Originally Posted by waner

Want to get groceries while my kids are playing at a friends house, nope I have forced 24 hour family time.

Originally Posted by albertGQ

Sorry, you can't do any of those things. You need to buy food that day for the week because the grocery store is closed on Sundays. And you don't want your family to go hungry during the week right?

While I agree that everything being closed every Sunday is a bit crazy for the way our lives are structured now, you both make me shake my head.

All this hand wringing over what you wouldn't get to do. Did you ever think that the reason you get to have two free days to do whatever with on the weekend, get groceries on a Sunday, spend time with family whenever you want, is because someone else can't? Someone is spending their whole day at that grocery store so you can get groceries whenever you please and still have time to head off to Banff.

Don't be selfish. Appreciate what you have instead of whining about what it would be like if you didn't have it, something countless people actually have to deal with all the time. Take that lesson, forget about every Sunday, and think about Remembrance Day.

Would it be so bad if for one extra day, everyone had the chance to spend time with their families, appreciate what they have, and pay their respects, all at the very simple cost of you not being able to go to a restaurant?