Quebec has, of course, opted out of the national holiday in Canada for Queen Elizabeth II

In a press conference on Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that next Monday, Sept. 19, will be a national holiday in Canada to mourn Queen Elizabeth II on the day of her state funeral. Trudeau said yesterday that “we are currently working with provinces and territories to hear their views on this,” and so far all the Maritime and Atlantic provinces, as well as B.C., have announced that they will participate. The provinces that have opted out of the national holiday in Canada, so far, are Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario and, of course, Quebec.

Quebec Premier François Legault said on Tuesday that Sept. 19 will be a day of commemoration in the province, but not a statutory holiday, chiefly because he doesn’t want to close schools.

“First, I think about the students and I wouldn’t like them to miss school — we’ve had enough with the pandemic. I think it’s not a good idea to close schools or put parents in a position where they wouldn’t be able to work.”

—Quebec Premier François Legault

In keeping with the national holiday designation, federal civil servants across Canada will have the day off on Sept. 19, and employers in federally regulated industries such crown corporations can choose whether or not to opt in.

To mark the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, September 19th will be a National Day of Mourning in Canada. On the same day, there will also be a national commemorative ceremony to honour Her Majesty’s life and service. More details here: https://t.co/Vh31Qr7KQq

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) September 13, 2022

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