No federal holiday should celebrate colonialism

Image by: Katharine Sung

This past Monday, many Canadians were awarded a day off to mourn her majesty the Queen.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declared Sept. 19 a federal holiday, but let the provinces decide whether their people would observe it.

More than a few Ontarians were disappointed when Doug Ford decided against making Monday a holiday. While Ford likely didn’t make his decision based on disdain for the monarchy’s colonial past and present, it was nonetheless a good decision.

In the United Kingdom, food banks were closed and surgeries were postponed on Monday as the country mourned its official head of state. Many argued it was wrong to impose a day of mourning upon everyone considering how many UK residents have felt the effects of colonialism, particularly immigrants from former British colonies.

Considering our government claims to be focused on repairing relationships between settler Canadians and Indigenous peoples, the decision to make Monday a holiday in Canada has also been rightfully criticized for its hypocrisy.

On the topic of holidays, Ontario doesn’t have big plans for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation either—a day designed for acknowledging and reflecting on Canada’s colonial identity. If we should observe any “day of mourning,” surely it should be that one.

If Canada seriously wants to move forward with reconciliation, declaring a federal holiday to mourn a Queen who represents colonial oppression is counterproductive.

Federal holidays are more than just days off. They come loaded with significance; what Canada chooses to recognize or commemorate with a holiday matters.

The Queen isn’t more deserving of the funeral pomp and circumstance than anyone else. It would make more sense to have a day of mourning for Wayne Gretzky or Celine Dion when they die—both have made significant contributions to Canadian culture without symbolizing colonial oppression.

For most Canadians, the monarchy isn’t a significant part of their identity anymore.

Those who grew up with the Queen are mourning their youth and the world as they once knew it along with the woman herself. She represented consistency and stability that older people don’t see in any other institution.

This Monday felt like an inflection point in Canadian history and culture. The disconnect between how older and younger generations reacted to news of the Queen’s death shows how her pervasive glorification is breaking down as education and media evolve.

Within minutes of the news breaking, TikTok and Twitter flooded with memes and comedy sketches on the royal family. While some of these videos and tweets were less than respectful, they point to a general disillusionment with the monarchy among Gen Z and Millennials.

Monarchy seems like such an outdated, even historic concept in 2022, especially when we’re used to frequent political turnover. New Canadian identities are emerging, and our priorities are changing in response.

No matter how you slice it, the monarch is a figurehead for the British colonial legacy. The Queen and her family held and still hold immeasurable institutional power and wealth gained by ravaging former colonies. We shouldn’t participate in the celebration of that legacy.

Canadians could use a holiday, but it shouldn’t be in the Queen’s name.

—Journal Editorial Board

Tags

Colonialism, Holiday, monarchy, queen

All final editorial decisions are made by the Editor(s)-in-Chief and/or the Managing Editor. Authors should not be contacted, targeted, or harassed under any circumstances. If you have any grievances with this article, please direct your comments to journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca.

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