Ottawa: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has declared September 19, the day queen Elizabeth II’s funeral will take place, as a federal holiday and a national day of mourning.
Federal leave is for federal workers, but it is the responsibility of the provincial and territorial governments to declare or not to declare a holiday for the remaining workers.
The Labour Minister’s Office has clarified that federally controlled private companies, such as airlines or telecoms, are encouraged to lay off their employees but this is not mandatory.
Trudeau said his government was coordinating with provinces and territories for everyone else.
“We have made up our mind to have a federal holiday on Monday,” Trudeau said, revealing his inflation plans in New Brunswick on Tuesday morning. But some details are yet to be worked out.
Earlier on Saturday, British officials had also announced that the Queen would be given a final farewell at Westminster Abbey on September 19.