Ottawa (25 August 2006) - Welcome to Labour Day, the holiday that is so much a part of our culture that Canadians rarely pause to consider its true purpose and meaning.
Today, Labour Day is often more associated with fairs and festivals, and a last summer weekend at the cottage, than with what it was meant to be - a heartfelt celebration of workers and their families.
That's too bad, but perhaps not surprising. In a way, the holiday has become a victim of the labour movement's enduring success in improving the lives of working Canadians.
Today we take paid holidays, safe work places, medical care, unemployment insurance, fair hours, union wages and 'the weekend' for granted. But how many of these advances would have happened if it were not for the long-forgotten heroes who fought so hard to make unions, and Labour Day, a reality in the first place?
http://www.nupge.ca/news_2006/n25au06a.htmhttp://www.historytelevision.ca/content/ContentDetail.aspx?ContentId=12258 hours in a work week. Not much wonder that they needed a day of rest.