Victoria Day is an annual celebration in Canada that is celebrated on the last Monday preceding May 25. The day is celebrated to honour Queen Victoria. This year, Victoria Day 2023 will be celebrated on Monday, May 22. The holiday has been observed in Canada since 1845. The day usually falls on the Monday between the 18 and 24. Victoria Day is a federal statutory holiday, as well as a holiday in six of Canada's ten provinces and all three of its territories. The holiday has always been a distinctly Canadian observance and continues to be celebrated across the country. Victoria Day serves as the unofficial marker of the end of the winter social season and, thus, the beginning of the summer social calendar. Queen Victoria's Birth Anniversary: Facts About the Queen.
Victoria Day History
After the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, an Act was passed by the Parliament of Canada, establishing a legal holiday under the name Victoria Day. An amendment to the Statutes of Canada in 1952 established the celebration of Victoria Day on the Monday preceding May 25. From 1953 to 1956, the Queen's birthday was celebrated in Canada on Victoria Day, by proclamation of the Governor General, with Her Majesty's approval. In 1957, Victoria Day was permanently appointed as the Queen's birthday in Canada. In the United Kingdom, the Queen's birthday is celebrated in June. Canada Strike: Immigration Services To Be Hit As 1,55,000 Government Employees on Strike Over Wages and Working Conditions Issues.
Victoria Day Significance
Canadians have celebrated Victoria Day for over 175 years as the birthday of the head of state, beginning with Her Imperial Majesty Queen Victoria. On Victoria Day, people of the country reflect on the Crown’s contributions to Canada’s development and celebrate Canadian heritage and culture. The Royal Union Flag, commonly known as the ‘Union Jack’, is flown along with the National Flag at federal buildings, airports, military bases and other federal buildings and establishments within Canada to mark this day.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 22, 2023 02:18 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).