Trudeau says federal employees will get Monday off

Initially Trudeau said Monday would be a federal holiday, impacting all federally regulated businesses, but Labor Minister later corrected that the federal government is simply giving its own employees a day off

September 13, 2022, 10:27 am

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Monday, Sept. 19 will be and a day of mourning as Queen Elizabeth II is buried in the U.K., and said federal employees will be given the day off.

Initially, Trudeau said Monday would be a federal holiday, which would extend to federally regulated businesses like banks, grain elevators, railways, airlines and feed mills.

However Labor Minister Seamus O'Regan said later on Tuesday that it won't actually be a federal holiday, but the federal government will simply give its own employees the day off.

"We will be working with the provinces and the territories to try and see that we're aligned on this. There are still a few details to be worked out," Trudeau said when saying Monday would be a federal holiday. "But declaring an opportunity for Canadians to mourn on Monday is going to be important, so for our part we will be letting federal employees know that Monday will be a day of mourning."

So far no provinces have joined in declaring Monday a holiday. Quebec Premier Francois Lagault immediately ruled it out when asked.

As a federal holiday, federally regulated businesses like banks, grain elevators and feed mills will be be closed, as well as federal agencies and corporations such as Canada Post.

The holiday for federal employees Monday will be two holidays for federal employees in two weeks, as Friday, September 30 is also a federal holiday in recognition of the impact of residential schools. That federal holiday is not recognized by most provinces, so mostly impacts only federally regulated workers.