Bill to make Remembrance Day a national holiday inches closer to law

A New Democrat MP's bid to make Remembrance Day a national statutory holiday is now one step closer to reality.

A private member's bill that seeks to make Nov. 11 a recognized holiday across Canada passed second reading tonight in the House of Commons by a vote of 258 to 2.

The legislation, introduced by NDP MP Dan Harris, will now be examined by the Commons heritage committee before it returns to the House for a final vote.

Bill C-597 would see Remembrance Day treated the same as other statutory days off, such as Christmas and Canada Day.

Remembrance Day is already a paid day off for federal workers and in the three territories, as well as in six provinces — Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia — but not in Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Manitoba.

Harris predicts that making Remembrance Day a national statutory holiday will result in more people attending remembrance services.