Calgary, September 15: Alberta is opting for a day of mourning rather than a statutory holiday for the Queen’s funeral next Monday.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday, Sept. 19, will be a federal holiday and a national day of mourning as Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral takes place in the United Kingdom.
The holiday will apply to federal government employees, but not automatically to people who work in federally-regulated industries, like airlines, banks and post offices.
“The National day of mourning is an opportunity for Canadians from coast to coast to coast to commemorate Her Majesty,” the prime minister said.
Alberta will hold an outdoor ceremony at the legislature in Edmonton on Monday at 10 a.m. It will start with a moment of silence and workplaces and schools are encouraged to observe it.
Employers are encouraged to allow workers to attend the ceremony or mark the occasion and schools are encouraged to offer students ways to mourn. Edmonton Public Schools will observe the moment of silence, and staff and students will have the option to watch the province’s ceremony livestream.
“I sincerely hope that Albertans find some time on this day to honour the remarkable life of Queen Elizabeth II and I strongly encourage employers and schools to appropriately mark this sombre and historic occasion,” Premier Jason Kenney wrote in a release.
