BC Family Day – February 20, 2023

BC Family Day is a provincial statutory holiday. British Columbians celebrate Family Day on the third Monday of February. In 2023, Family Day falls on Monday, February 20th. To celebrate, the B.C. government provides funding for free Family Day activities. BC Family Day gives families the opportunity to spend time with their loved ones. The B.C. government is funding free virtual and in-person Family Day activities throughout the province over the Family Day weekend. This makes sure celebrations are accessible for everyone. Source: /nationaltoday.com
Louis Riel Day –
February 20, 2023
Louis Riel Day is a Canadian holiday observed on the third Monday of February every year and this year, it falls on February 20. The day is named in honor of the founder of Manitoba. It commemorates the eventful life and contributions of a Canadian politician, Louis Riel. To honor him, Canadians have named several streets, buildings, institutes, public libraries, and residences after him. Riel represented the Métis community of the Canadian Prairie Provinces and was the driving force behind the creation of Manitoba as a province of Canada. Although Louis Riel Day is celebrated with much fervor in Manitoba, it’s not a public holiday for the other provinces. As a result, federal offices remain open on this day, while local services, schools, and businesses take the day off.
HISTORY OF LOUIS RIEL DAY
The purpose of Louis Riel Day is to acknowledge the heritage of the Manitoban people. In many provinces, the third Monday of February is also celebrated as Family Day. Manitoba’s Legislative Assembly approved this holiday in 2007, and it was first celebrated on February 18 that year. When asked to give this new holiday a name, students from Manitoba schools came up with suggestions reflecting the province’s sports, art, culture, history, and remarkable personalities. Louis Riel Day was the winning entry.
The Métis community, in particular, pays tribute to their hero on this occasion. Riel spent his life fighting for the rights and recognition of this group of indigenous Canadian people. He led two major rebellions against white settlers and the federal government to protect the Red River area, which was home to the Métis community.
In the late 1860s, he founded the Métis National Committee to safeguard the cultural, social, and political heritage of the Métis. The famous Red River Resistance was the work of this committee. When the Canadian government decided to take over the land of the Métis, Riel organized a militia. He demanded the creation of a new province on behalf of the Métis by issuing the Manitoba Act. By the end of the conflict, Riel had already earned a controversial reputation. Although he was put on a pedestal by the Métis people, he was nothing more than a criminal in the eyes of the government.
The Manitoba Act was passed in 1870, and the new province was recognized. However, Riel was tried for committing treason against the state and expelled from Parliament. This, however, did not stop Riel from aiding another rebellion — the North-West Rebellion of 1885. This eventually resulted in his execution by the Canadian government in November 1885.
Source: /nationaltoday.com