Civic holiday celebrated with several names today

rcinet.ca
Aug. 1, 2016
Carmel Kilkenny

August 1st is a holiday across Canada except for the province of Quebec and Yukon. And the name varies; he first Monday in August is always the occasion, but what people celebrate or honour is a collection of historical characters, birthdates, and themselves!

It’s called Regatta Day in Newfoundland, with a big event on the water at Quidi Vidi Lake in St. John’s, Newfoundland. The event dates back to the early days of arrival in North America.

It’s known as Natal Day, in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. In P.E.I. they’re celebrating the 161st anniversary of the birth of Charlottetown, and in Nova Scotia, it is the 121st anniversary of the birth of the city of Halifax.

In New Brunswick it’s a day to honour the province, New Brunswick Day.

In Ontario it’s an occasion for various commemorations, such as Joseph Brant Day in Burlington, Ontario. Colonel By Day in Ottawa, Benjamin Vaughan Day in the City of Vaughan, just north of Toronto, and Simcoe Day in Toronto.

In Manitoba the civic holiday has no name; yet!

In Saskatchewan, it’s Saskatchewan Day.

It’s Heritage Day in Alberta,

And it is British Columbia Day in that province.

Marwan Alali and his family, are among several Syrian families who have taken to the maritime tradition of fishing off the end of a pier in Halifax Harbour.

This is his second time fishing, he told a CBC reporter through an interpreter, He’s enjoying the pastime in the good weather and whatever he catches the family will share, says the physiotherapist, who is busy learning English these days.