Thursday, January 03, 2008

Will YOU have to work on Family Day?

Dalton McGuinty's attempt to bribe Ontario voters with a new holiday is having its repercussions. In fact the very groups he was likely trying to woo may be out of luck.

The Star explains who is and who isn't allowed to enjoy the new holiday - Everyone may not get Family Day holiday:

But not everyone is counting down the days to Feb. 18. Especially those who work in unionized environments, where issues like vacation days and statutory holidays are written into the collective agreement.

Members of the Toronto police service were recently told that they would not be entitled to the new holiday in a routine order issued to the police force last week. Staff was told to treat the day as a "regular work day."

The Toronto Police Services Board said that because their collective agreement gives more days off than the minimum required by the Employment Standards Act, they are not under obligation to add Family Day to their list of holidays.



One gets the feeling that not a lot of thought or research was put into this policy:

Family Day became law quickly last fall and as a result has led to both confusion and controversy about who is entitled to the holiday and how much it will cost businesses and the city.

City of Toronto officials voted in December to give city employees the holiday off. But they say that it will cost taxpayers $2.3 million to give city workers the holiday, not counting lost productivity. It's also expected to cost TTC $2.5 million and would have cost the Toronto police service $2.2 million.


Toronto, eh? Isn't that the city where they are constantly whining for more money?

And BTW, isn't Ontario the province constantly whining for more cash too? But of course, we're doing so very, very well here! Especially in manufacturing. Gimme a break.

Nice move, Dalton.


I hope the ROC appreciates the fact that there is no end in sight to Ontario's plan to upload the costs of socialism.


* * * *
Update: From Freedom is my Nationality - The narrow aperture of the right:

I have achieved a new low. I am now going to make a blog post commenting on a comment made on someone else’s blog post. Here it is at Joanne’s Journey and the comment is the sixth one down.

Those on the right tend to be more suspicious and skeptical media consumers, IMHO...

A new low? I could take that the wrong way, but I won't. ;)



57 comments:

Anonymous said...

How will Family Day go over in the education sector, where contracts with teachers spell out that a certain number of days, hours must be spent in front of the classroom?

Will school boards tack on an extra day at the end of the school year?

Or is another day off going to be ok with the education premier?

Anonymous said...

I will not be taking a "family day"

Can we call it what it is please

"Suck-up to the voters day" maybe?

Anonymous said...

what happens if students are in the middle of an exam schedule that week?

Can we skip a day the following week without being penalized or marked absent from school?

Burton, Formerly Kingston said...

To the best of my knowledge the Federal Govt is not playing on this one either.

Anonymous said...

Out here in the hinterland of Alberta, we have had Family Day for several years now.

You are right about it being just another holiday where the stores are open and many people have to work, but it is a holiday for the majority of "office" and "union" workers. Face it - there are no more "holidays" anymore - some stores are open 365 days a year.

All the same protests went on when it was instituted here but it has become a welcome long weekend in the middle of a long, dark, winter.

Federal Govt employees do not get it off either - although I think they can choose between the Aug. long weekend or the Feb Family day.

As for school boards tacking on an extra day - here they tie it together with PD days and parent teacher interviews (which they do in the evening so they get the next day off) and manage to get about five days off. Interesting how teachers manage to have PD days whenever there is a long weekend, but that is a comment for another post. I doubt they will be "tacking" the day onto the end of the year.

Anonymous said...

Oh the bitter taste of sour grapes! Had John Tory or any other PC leader thought of it first, conservatives would have lauded it as the single greatest endorsement of traditional family values ever.

However, in the narrow minded world of partisan politics, all that matters is blaming the other guy for beating you to the punch.

When I first began glimpsing at many conservative blogs (yours included), the tone was decidedly different. The bitter division along silly ideological lines was less clear.

These days, the rhetoric is all the same. Anything proposed by a conservative is solid right-wing thinking, anything that comes from anywhere else at all is rejected at first glance as a socialist plot.

It's tiresome, simple-minded and frankly, childish. Conservative bloggers and their predictable readers have formed a perfect echo chamber. Everyone sounds the same. Everyone spits out the same partisan response and sadly, no one thinks for themselves.

I've noticed your fondness of the term lemmings to describe anyone who voted other than conservative in Ontario. It's safe to say that the centre to left side of the political spectrum houses far more divergent world views than the narrow aperture of the right.

In a world that is increasingly rejecting the values and traditions of a world view that has left so many behind for so long, perhaps conservatives are the real philosophical lemmings.

Anonymous said...

I wouldn't worry about the teachers they can't do much there alwlays on strike so they get days off anyways. and I to my knowledge don't think B.C gets a family day.
and why will it cost so much to go on a stat holiday not anydifferent then all those people working a regular day if anything people working it will cost the province more cause they get time and a half then. other wise just regular wages like when your working. I thought correct me if I'm wrong though

Skinny Dipper said...

To anonymous above:

Great comments. Well thought out.

I always thought that right-thinking conservatives were for families (not including same-sex led families). You are correct in that had John Tory or some other conservative proposed "Family Day", the same conservative bloggers would be jumping for joy in support.

I wish there were more Blogging Tories that could present their views without name-calling their opponents.

Recently, I looked at the Lake Superior State University list of bannished words. I propose that Blogging Tories should proposed their own list. The following words should be bannished: commie, islamofascist, fiberal, liberal, feminazi, Taliban Jack (and other variations), and pinko. If people who write under the Blogging Tories banner stop using these words that I listed, they may gain more credibility with their blogs.

Anonymous said...

Hi Roy,

I have taught elementary school for four and a half years. I haven't taken any days off due to strikes or lockouts. That's zero percent strike days.

paulsstuff said...

"Oh the bitter taste of sour grapes! Had John Tory or any other PC leader thought of it first, conservatives would have lauded it as the single greatest endorsement of traditional family values ever.

However, in the narrow minded world of partisan politics, all that matters is blaming the other guy for beating you to the punch."


Hey Anon, here's a little "Reality Check" for you, seeing as how you are one of the ignorant lemmings who believes and obeys the dumbasses like Mcguinty and whatever the CBC tells you.

"The creation of the holiday would mean Ontario residents enjoy nine long weekends each year, the same as Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia and the three territories.

All the other provinces have fewer breaks, ranging from eight in Manitoba, seven in Quebec, six in New Brunswick and five in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island.

The Liberals are not the first to propose a Family Day for Ontario.

John O'Toole, a Conservative MPP, introduced a private member's bill earlier this year calling for the day as a way to recognize "the importance of the family as one of the great institutions of civilization."

NDP MP Peggy Nash tabled her own bill in Ottawa last February calling for Flag Day, Feb. 15, to be made a holiday across Canada."

And by the way anon, when the Conservative MPP put forward his motion, any idea who was against it? McGuinty and the Liberal's.

Let's see if you have the gonads to come back and post again admitting that you got sucked in by McGuinty, and your original post was completely and factually wrong.

Anonymous said...

anon. 10:16am and skinny dip

- lemmings is most appropriate as you both have nicely demonstrated in your tag-team offering.

welcome to 4 more liberal lemming years of hands in our pockets, and saying anything to pacify the masses....and get elected.

Hmmm....where have I heard that before?

Please anon. coax Dalton to run federally!!!

Anonymous said...

in Ontario didn't the education premier just ramp up the number of PD days for teachers? Does this add one more to that then?

After more than a dozen snow days last school year, the scrambling and juggling of schedules was interesting indeed.

I guess it really doesn't matter seeing as though we have a gov't that sat in the legislature for under 40 days last session.

Anonymous said...

Did anyone see the article by Gerry Nicholls yesterday? Forgot where I read it, but it's worthy of a link here I think...for discussion.

Anonymous said...

Paulsstuff,

Typical childish bravado. Gonads? I assume these are figurative balls since you have no way of telling my sex from my comments.

McGuinty's 1st majority government was the party to make Family Day a reality. I'm not concerned with the failings of previous Conservative governments.

ps. Paul, if we met in real life for the first time and we're discussing politics, would you be so rude?

It may interest you to know that I'm someone's Grandmother. Then again, perhaps it might not.

Your rather over the top repsonse to my observations seem to affirm my view that the Conservative echo chamber will not tolerate any other perspectives and must resort to name-calling and feet stomping.

Such antics remind me of the stubborn child refused candy before dinner..."I'll hold my breath until I get my lolli!"

Perhaps now we know why the conservative movement in Canada is associated with the colour blue.

paulsstuff said...

"To anonymous above:

Great comments. Well thought out."

Yaa, except I've shown you they are wrong. Apparently it wasn't a good idea for the extra holiday when put forth by a PC or NDP Mpp but it's brilliant when McGuinty uses their idea after voting against it.

As for anon, why not go back to Stephen Taylor's blog and finally address the "facts" you claim to want to argue. The CBC has admitted planting the question, admits it's wrong, and admits it has done biased misleading reporting against Harper in the past. And why not use the name here you use there. Homepage, or HB?

Take a stroll over guys. Anon and Homepage are one and the same. Read the comment here and those posted on Taylor's site.

paulsstuff said...

"Paulsstuff,

Typical childish bravado. Gonads? I assume these are figurative balls since you have no way of telling my sex from my comments.

McGuinty's 1st majority government was the party to make Family Day a reality. I'm not concerned with the failings of previous Conservative governments."

Wrong. McGuinty put the proposal forth during the last campaign, and could only enact it once voted into power. I've already shown the fact that the Family Day idea was put forth by both the PC and NDP long before McGuinty came up with it. Try addressing that fact, and explain why McGuinty and the Liberal's voted against it then but thought it was a great idea in the last campaign.

The gonad remark is due to the fact many anon posters come on here, leaving factually wrong comments, and then disappear. If you want to post as anon, try leaving an identifying initial at the bottom of your posts.

"It may interest you to know that I'm someone's Grandmother. Then again, perhaps it might not."

And I'm a grandfather. So what's your point? Your post about Family Day was wrong. It was indeed put forward by members of other parties and McGuinty said it was a bad idea.

"Your rather over the top repsonse to my observations seem to affirm my view that the Conservative echo chamber will not tolerate any other perspectives and must resort to name-calling and feet stomping."

Look at your comments, or take a stroll to most Liberal blogs. Try Cherniak or Garth Turner's. You will here the same type of echo. Conservative bloggers hold Conservative views and Liberal bloggers hold Liberal views. NDP blogs hold NDP views. They all have your so-called echo-chamber.

Anonymous said...

no doubt about it....lemming is the perfect descriptor of the trained seal approach to blogging, and I would have to agree with paulstuff and say that both lemming Cherniak and Turner blogs are more about follow the leader lemming than intellectual discussion.

Hard to take those seriously that would hold a promise-breaker and king of the photo-ops up for accolades.

We already have a family day..it's called Sunday.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

My personal definition of 'lemming' is someone who blindly accepts the spewing of MSM as gospel truth, without any critical thought, and without consideration of the bias of the source.

Those on the right tend to be more suspicious and skeptical media consumers, IMHO.

Jeff said...

Those on the right tend to be more suspicious and skeptical media consumers, IMHO

i dunno about that joanne. historically, conservatism has been about towing the line, no challenge to the status quo.

it seems to me that more often than not, it's the left that challenges long held notions and belief systems.

censorship in western cultures, whether in the media or elsewhere, has long been the calling card of right wing agendas.

haven't seen too many hippies burning library books....

paulsstuff said...

"Those on the right tend to be more suspicious and skeptical media consumers, IMHO"

"i dunno about that joanne. historically, conservatism has been about towing the line, no challenge to the status quo."

Uh, Jeff. Joanne was pointing out Conservatives are less likely to believe something the media says is true, without researching it and making their own decisions.

And Conservatives are actually trying to change the status quo, making governments smaller with less interference in both federal, provincial, municipal, and individual life. And I think the approach they wanted to take with SSM was correct. They had no problem with same-sex marriage but wanted the legislation to call it civil-unions. Something that should have pleased those in same-sex relationships and those religous groups that wanted the term marriage left for the traditional relationship.

Perhaps anon/aka.homepage or skinny dipper might want to come back and address their errors, that being their glee that McGuinty thought of Family Day first, when in fact both PC and NDP members put forth motions and McGuinty voted them down. If I'm not mistaken he said it would be irresponsible to impose another paid holiday on businesses and the taxpayer.

Perhaps if they had done a little research before posting they might have had the facts correct.

FredM said...

"Family day" sounds like a mother, father and kid kind of day, I thought the liberals and gay crowd was against that kind of talk.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

Joanne was pointing out Conservatives are less likely to believe something the media says is true, without researching it and making their own decisions.

Exactly. Thanks, Paul. I was out for a while, but you handled that superbly. ;)

And Conservatives are actually trying to change the status quo, making governments smaller with less interference in both federal, provincial, municipal, and individual life.

Yes, that's a good point. The old definitions of Liberalism v.s. Conservatism don't really apply anymore.

It's more about sucking at the Nanny teat vs. learning to become responsible for your own decisions, while still having that safely net available where needed.

valiantmauz said...

You know Joanne, I'd have more respect for so-called conservative blogs if they didn't let dreck like fredm's post pass unremarked, let alone challenged.

Just where does he, or you given your silence on the post, think all of us gay liberals spring from if not a Family? Fully formed from Karl Marx's forehead?

I find it weird that an ideology so vociferously devoted to family values discusses a new stat holiday through a singularly financial lens, as if there is no other consideration other than the cost. While I find the name insipid and pandering, it is undeniable that February in Ontario is unrelentingly bleak and the prospect of a holiday - to me at least - is very welcome. No doubt I will spend it with my family, and perhaps enjoy some skiing if the snow holds up.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

You know Joanne, I'd have more respect for so-called conservative blogs if they didn't let dreck like fredm's post pass unremarked, let alone challenged.

You know, Valiantmauz, that type of remark is exactly what takes the fun out of blogging. If I put on comment moderation and/or delete comments, some folks (especially on the left) get all upset and think it's some kind of assault to free speech.

On the other hand, if I let something like this stand, then I get criticized too.

So am I supposed to sit here reading each comment and trying to decide if someone out there might be offended?

Give me a flicking break.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

BTW, VM. Waiting for you to make that same comment here.

valiantmauz said...

Joanne -

Your blog, your rules. Whether you have comment moderation on or off, it's your choice and your prerogative. I don't think I've ever given you guff over free speech infractions, nor would I if you chose to allow comments only from Anne Coulter's extended family.

I wrote what I wrote because I am utterly fed up with the constant barrage of BS from the fredm's of the world, who deny that gays can be part of a traditional family, let alone the human one. I am fed up that decent people of conservative stripe - you, for example - let that kind of thing hang there like a bad smell.

This sound way more confrontational than I actually mean it to be. To put it in a different way, Joanne, if I didn't think you possessed compassion, understanding, and sense, I wouldn't bother.

valiantmauz said...

Well, Joanne - that's actually the first time I've ever heard of that blog - if you like, I'll paste the comment there.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

VM - Your choice about what you say over there.

My thinking about someone FredM is that the comment tells us all we need to know about him.

And you know that I think it is ridiculous to try and suggest the gays and lesbians don't believe in family.

valiantmauz said...

Thanks for saying that, Joanne. I do appreciate it.

Can we now have a civil debate about the merits and demerits of a stat holiday in February?

I'd pop in a smiley to indicate gentle ribbing, but I hate those things.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

Can we now have a civil debate about the merits and demerits of a stat holiday in February?

I think that the prospect of an extra holiday could have been handled better by asking for public input first; in terms of how it might affect business; also in terms of when it should be (e.g. Remembrance Day or something?); and even what it should be called.

McGuinty made a rash decision based on trying to curry favour during an election. And why was it suddenly o.k. if he had squashed the idea before, as someone mentioned?

Pure opportunism.

BTW, sorry if I seemed a bit irate before.

Anonymous said...

I find it rather hypocritical of McGuinty to flog and promise a "Family Day" when he opposed lightening the homework load of children.

Perhaps the education premier would encourage educators to give NO HOMEWORK on "Family Day" or have tests the day after?

How much of a Family Day will it be for us all to do our kid's science fair projects?(we all do them anyway, might as well be a family day activity)

valiantmauz said...

It's cool Joanne. I fly off the handle far too often in real life, and I often let snark get ahead of me. I do prefer substantive discussion wherever possible.

As far as the holiday goes, I think the proposal of Family Day was pure politics, and the name is ... ugh. I do think, however, that the idea of a day off in celebration of "Family" is positive in a hokey and wholesome way. Having just run the gauntlet of Christmas, I appreciate the simple idea of a day off to spend with family absent the trappings of gift giving, the great kitchen production line, the expected all-night revelry of New Year's, and - I don't know - the exhaustion of the season, or the scramble to get that cottage or campsite for the Labour Day and other summer long weekends.

Similarly, I'm hesitant to advocate a stat holiday for Remembrance Day. It may be totally irrational, but I find that taking that hour from work to walk down to the cenotaph and be silent for a minute at 11 AM more meaningful than if I were to have the day off and sleep in, or take a long weekend trip when it falls on a Friday or a Monday.

I can't help feeling that a day in the darkest, drippiest and most depressing month to take a load off and hang out is a good thing.

For me, it has zip to do with politics and that dreaded "productivity" that our society seems to be obsessed with - like finding that perfect gift and presenting to a wholly ungrateful and parsimonious aunt who purses her lips and gripes about how profligate you are with your money.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

like finding that perfect gift and presenting to a wholly ungrateful and parsimonious aunt who purses her lips and gripes about how profligate you are with your money.

Ha! You had me chuckling there, Valiantmauz.

I appreciate your candor on the politically expedient nature of the decision...

I can see your point about a day to relax in an otherwise bleak month, but what about making Valentine's Day the holiday?

Anonymous said...

Just call in sick... seems like a no brainer to me.

valiantmauz said...

OK, now I am laughing out loud. Valentine's Day? Can you imagine the spike in suicide rates? I hate that holiday, and I am happily ensconced in a long term relationship! All those singles alone at home waiting for the phone to ring, or frantically primping for a Valentine's Day speed-dating event - how horrible.

Provenance aside (and yes it was the height of political expedience), Family Day just strikes me as right. A day to maybe make your way to Clarendon to visit your favourite second-cousin, twice-removed-by-marriage that you missed seeing over Christmas because you had to visit that horrible aunt and mack on over-cooked turkey.

Come to think of it, any holiday not involving turkey pleases me.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

Come to think of it, any holiday not involving turkey pleases me.

lol! I hate cooking turkey! Ugh.

But what about those poor immigrants or refugees that have no family here yet? And we go and throw it in their faces?

Anonymous said...

He could have just left it as Heritage Day and solved all the family problems.

valiantmauz said...

Family is like spandex - you can fit just about anything into it. And just like spandex, there are the occasional unsightly bulges. Uncle John and his fondness for pull-my-finger jokes and disappointing political opinions, for instance. Uncle John is a moonbat or a wingnut, depending on your preferred ideology, naturally.

I wouldn't worry overmuch about offending the sensibilities of immigrants and refugees over the naming of such a holiday - family is universal, and deserves celebration over and above most other things in life, don't you think?

Joanne (True Blue) said...

Heritage Day

Isn't that what some cities call their Aug. 1 holiday? Or is that what you're referring to Ruth? It's strange how many stores are open that day.


Uncle John is a moonbat or a wingnut, depending on your preferred ideology, naturally.

You have some interesting relatives, Valiantmauz.


family is universal, and deserves celebration over and above most other things in life, don't you think?

So does love.

Anonymous said...

No, this February holiday has been called Heritage Day in some union contracts. My sister is a nurse and she's had Heritage Day as a paid holiday for years, in Ontario.

valiantmauz said...

Well, I was speaking metaphorically, though I do have card-carrying Conservatives in my immediate family. He has never asked me to pull his finger, though - too much of a Proper English Gentleman for such japes.

We agree on nothing, but as he's my grandfather, I take him as he is.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

Ruth, thanks. I think 'Heritage Day' is something we all could agree on. Everyone has some kind of Heritage.

VM - Your grandfather's a Conservative? I bet you two have some interesting discussions. (No smiley out of deference to your aversion.)

Möbius said...

Oh the bitter taste of sour grapes! Had John Tory or any other PC leader thought of it first, conservatives would have lauded it as the single greatest endorsement of traditional family values ever.

I do half-agree with you, Anonymous One. PC's would love it if they thought of it first. Instead, our fearless (potential) leader was busy redesigning the education system, to ensure no religion was left behind.

I'm conservative, but will take advantage of this holiday. It was designed (and named) for maximum possible vote advantage. I didn't vote for D McG, obviously, but will not go to work to protest. I have decide to ignore my family and drink copious amounts of beer on the holiday, instead.

Anonymous said...

slow news day? get a room folks.

Anonymous said...

anyone here following the Iowa caucus tonight?

Funny how CNN appears to favour Hillary Clinton.

The heck with Family Day

Möbius said...

Give me a flicking break.

Hey!

Watch your language!

Möbius said...

Ruth, thanks. I think 'Heritage Day' is something we all could agree on. Everyone has some kind of Heritage.

Kingston has had a Feb Heritage Day for years. Only city and bank employees seem to get the day off.

Möbius said...

slow news day? get a room folks.

Someone tie you down and force you to read this stuff?

Joanne (True Blue) said...

I have decide to ignore my family and drink copious amounts of beer on the holiday, instead.

Ha-ha! I'll join you in your protest.

Möbius said...

Ha-ha! I'll join you in your protest.

OK, but it's just my standard response to the patriarchal government regulations!

Anonymous said...

Wolf Blitzer really drives me nuts.

Anonymous said...

Joanne - I think the liberal gremlins are back from their vacation.


Whether it's Family Day or Groundhog day(close relative of the lemming I hear), does it really matter?

McGuinty's fleecing us all one way or the other....this too shall come back to bite our bums.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

Groundhog Day! Yes. Or Lemming Day.

McGuinty's fleecing us all one way or the other

Yeah, we'll end up paying for it one way or the other.


Kingston has had a Feb Heritage Day for years. Only city and bank employees seem to get the day off.

When is it, Möbius?

Möbius said...

When is it, Möbius?

Not being one of the aforementioned groups, I'm not sure. It's mid-February. Some call it a celebration of Sir John A's birthday.

Hence more alcohol consumption.

Möbius said...

Just googled it, and the local paper says it's the 3rd Monday in February.

I wonder if the locals will get 2 days off, if they don't coincide?

Joanne (True Blue) said...

I wonder if the locals will get 2 days off, if they don't coincide?

I guess it will depend on their collective agreement. What a mess.

Some call it a celebration of Sir John A's birthday.

Hence more alcohol consumption.


I love your rye sense of humour. ;)

Anonymous said...

Groundhog Day is a great name for the new holiday. Just like the moving we relive February 2 a few weeks later and instead of a groundhog seeing his shadow it will the liberal lemming we'll follow. If he sees his shadow, the next lemming in line, does the same, repeat, follow the leader.