Education Library is closed Feb. 13, Feb. 14 and Family Day - Monday Feb 15th 2010

The Education Library is CLOSED on Saturday February 13th, Sunday February 14th and Family Day, Monday February 15th.

Family Day is the third Monday of February and observed as a public (or statutory) holiday in the three Canadian provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario.

Most workers, public or private, are entitled to take statutory holidays off with regular pay.

Some businesses remain open on holidays, such as medical clinics and some stores, restaurants, and tourist attractions.

This holiday celebrates the importance of families and family life to people and their communities.

What Do People Do?

On Family Day, many people plan and take part in activities aimed at the whole family. These include visiting art exhibitions, watching movies, skating on outdoor ice rinks, playing board games and taking part in craft activities. Some communities plan special public events, and art galleries and museums may have reduced price or free entry.

As the weather is usually very cold in February, hot chocolate and freshly baked cookies are popular snacks. Other people use the long weekend as an opportunity for a short winter break or to travel to visit family members or friends.

As Family Day falls on the same date as National Heritage Day, some people use the day to explore their personal heritage and family history.

Heritage Day is an opportunity to celebrate the architectural heritage and historic places of Canada. The Heritage Canada Foundation (HCF) promotes the third Monday in February each year as Heritage Day and has long advocated adopting this date as a national holiday.

For Heritage Day 2010, Canada’s Olympic year, HCF is celebrating the Heritage of Sport and Recreation.

Across Canada sports and recreation activities have always played a central role in building social cohesion and community involvement. The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw an expanding variety of athletic activities being promoted—from lacrosse, curling and hockey, to boating, skiing and hiking. Canadians were quick to embrace these sporting pleasures and to build the infrastructure needed to support them.

To this day, communities both large and small possess a legacy of sports and recreation facilities which continue to serve Canadians.

Public Life on Family Day:

In the provinces of Alberta, Ontario and Saskatchewan, many people have a day off work and schools are generally closed on Family Day. Many businesses and organizations are closed, but post offices may be open. Public transport services may run to their usual or reduced timetables.

In the province of Manitoba, the third Monday of February is a general holiday, known as Louis Riel Day. Louis Riel Day is a public holiday in the Canadian province of Manitoba, named in honour of Louis Riel, the Métis leader regarded as the Father of Manitoba. It is held on the third Monday in February.

In 1885, during his trial in Regina, Louis Riel stated: “I know that through the grace of God I am the founder of Manitoba.” As the Métis leader of the Red River Resistance of 1869-70, he was instrumental in drafting the List of Rights that formed the basis of the Manitoba Act, passed by the Parliament of Canada in the spring of 1870, which brought the new Province of Manitoba into Confederation.

Many people have a day off work and school and many businesses, organizations and stores are closed. In some communities, stores are open after noon. Public transport services may run to Sunday or holiday timetables. In rural areas, there may be no services.

In the other provinces and territories of Canada, Family Day is not observed and the third Monday in February is not a holiday. Businesses, organizations, schools and post offices are open as usual and public transport services run to their normal timetables.

Background

Family Day was first held in Canada in the province of Alberta in 1990. It is supposed to reflect the values of family and home that were important to the pioneers who founded Alberta, and give workers the opportunity to spend more time with their families.

Family Day was introduced in Saskatchewan in 2007 and in Ontario in 2008.

One of the reasons for introducing Family Day was that there was a long period when there were no holidays from New Year's Day until Good Friday.

Holidays to celebrate families are also held in other places around the globe. In the Australian Capital Territory, the first Tuesday of November is known as Family and Community Day.

In South Africa, the day after Easter Sunday is Family Day.