Origins of Labour Day
Labour Day marks the unofficial end of summertime fun and a day when thousands of people gather across the country for their final big barbecue blowouts.
Labour Day has evolved into a holiday about relaxing with friends and family, and that has led to its origins getting somewhat lost in the celebratory shuffle.
Created by the labour movement in the late 19th century, Labour Day was established to highlight the achievements of workers, both from a social and an economic perspective.
Its origin in Canada is open for debate, but historians agree the first major event was in December 1872 when a parade was held in Toronto organized by the typographical union in recognition of winning a battle to end a 58-hour work week.
In 1894, Labour Day was first celebrated in Canada, along with the United States to honour working men and women. The contribution of organized labour to Canadian society has been recognized since 1872 when parades and rallies were staged in Ottawa and Toronto.
Later that year, Parliament
proclaimed the first Monday in September as Labour Day.
Major events are held more in Atlantic and Eastern Canada than the west. Due to COVID-19, there will be very few events staged in 2020.
Labour Day highlights one of the main benefits of being a citizen, the ability to have professional freedom and contribute to the prosperity and strength of the country through gainful employment.
With the present COVID-19 pandemic, there’s now a far greater appreciation for clerks, health-care professionals and grocery workers.
In the United States, like
Canada, it is celebrated on the first Monday of September.
American historians believe that Labour Day was first promoted by the Central Labor Union and the Knights of Labor, which also organized the first labourrelated parade in New York City. Although the true fathers of Labour Day remain a topic of debate, some historians maintain that Peter J. McGuire of the American Federation of Labour put forward the first Labour Day proposal in May 1882 after witnessing a labour festival in Toronto.
From 1966-2013, a muscular dystrophy telethon was synonymous with Labour Day, hosted by Jerry Lewis from 1966-2010. In its peak, it ran continuously for 21 hours.
In 1976, Lewis had a surprise reunion on-air with his former partner Dean Martin. The two hadn’t been in the same room together since 1956. It was arranged by mutual friend, Frank Sinatra, who was a frequent musical guest on the telethon.
In the Canadian Football League, th Labour Day classic games feature three main rivalries. On Sunday, Saskatchewan and Winnipeg play and on the Monday, Edmonton and Calgary face off as well as Hamilton and Toronto.
The CFL season has been cancelled for this year.