TORONTO - A Progressive Conservative member of the Ontario legislature is calling for Remembrance Day to be made a statutory holiday in the province.
Nepean-Carleton member Lisa MacLeod says making Nov. 11 a statutory holiday would recognize the sacrifices of those who have given their lives in military service.
Ontario is one of the few provinces and territories that doesn't recognize Remembrance Day as a statutory holiday.
MacLeod's bill would also require every school to hold a Remembrance Day service on the last school day before Nov. 11.
Seniors Minister Sophia Aggelonitis says Remembrance Day is an important day and the government is looking forward to debate on the bill.
NDP leader Andrea Horwath says her party has consulted with the Ontario Legion and the veterans' group is opposed to making Nov. 11 a statutory holiday.
"They think it's important to have particularly young people in school to observe Remembrance Day on Nov. 11," Horwath said.
"They believe that this is one way to make sure that our young people are observing Remembrance Day," she said.
However, retired Maj.-Gen. Lewis MacKenzie said Thursday he disagrees with that view.
"I have never in my entire life seen the attention that schools are paying, sometimes to Remembrance week," MacKenzie said.
"The thousands of vets that are available through the Memory Project ... are being constantly invited into schools," he said from Ottawa.
"This is not a threat to recognition on the day because (the holiday) would allow young people to actually attend ceremonies."
MacLeod notes that 34 per cent of Canada's war dead in Afghanistan called Ontario home, and thousands more Ontario residents laid down their lives in various wars and peacekeeping missions.
"It is only fitting that Ontario commemorate the 11th day of November as a statutory holiday to pay tribute to their sacrifices," MacLeod said.
