Louis Riel Day in Canada

Many people in Manitoba enjoy time with their families and friends on Louis Riel Day. ©iStockphoto.com/ emmanuelle bonzami

What do people do?

Louis Riel Day is an opportunity for Manitobans to enjoy some time with their families, to take a short winter break or to take part in outdoor sports events.  It is also an opportunity to get to know and enjoy the culture, language, heritage and ancestral homeland of the Métis people.

Public life

In the province of Manitoba, the third Monday of February is a general holiday. Most people have a day off work and school and most businesses, organizations and stores are closed. In some communities, stores are open after noon. Public transport services may follow Sunday or holiday timetables. In rural areas, there may be no services.

In the provinces of Alberta, Ontario and Saskatchewan, the third Monday of February is a holiday known as Family Day. Here, many people also have a day off work and schools are generally closed. Many businesses and organizations are closed, but post offices may be open. Public transport services may run to their usual or reduced timetables.

In the other provinces and territories of Canada, the third Monday of February is not a holiday and neither Louis Riel Day nor Family Day is observed. Schools, businesses, organizations, post offices and stores are open as usual and public transport services run to their usual timetables.

Background and symbols

In 2007 the government of Manitoba introduced a holiday in February. This was because there was a long period between New Year's Day and Good Friday when there were no holidays. A competition was held among school children to name the day. The winning name was 'Louis Riel Day' to commemorate this Manitoba politician. The date does not have any special connection to a particular event in Louis Riel's life. The first Louis Riel Day in Manitoba was in 2008.

Louis Riel was a leader of the Métis people of the Canadian prairies. These are an Aboriginal people with their own culture, language and heritage. The area, which was their ancestral homeland, is now in the Canadian provinces of Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia and the Northwest Territories and parts of the north-west of the United States.  Louis Riel was also a founder of the province of Manitoba and a Canadian politician. However, during his lifetime, he was a controversial figure and lived in exile in the United States for a number of years. He was involved in a number of uprisings and, after a controversial trial, he was executed for treason in 1885.

In other areas of Canada, particularly Toronto, Louis Riel Day is observed on or around November 16. This is the anniversary of the execution of Louis Riel in 1885. In Toronto, Louis Riel Day is held to commemorate the life of Louis Riel and to celebrate the culture, language, heritage and ancestral homeland of the Métis people.

Louis Riel Day Observances

Other holidays in February 2008 in Canada

• Carnival/Shrove Tuesday (Tuesday, February 5, 2008)
• Ash Wednesday (Wednesday, February 6, 2008)
• Valentine's Day (Thursday, February 14, 2008)
• National Flag of Canada Day (Friday, February 15, 2008)
• Flag Day (Friday, February 15, 2008)
• Family Day (Monday, February 18, 2008)

Other calendars

• Perpetual yearly calendar - make yearly calendar for any year
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