Every year, when I remember we get a long weekend in early August, I pause fractionally before my brain supplies the explanation: B.C. Day.
And then I usually half-smirk - because what the heck kind of holiday is B.C. Day? - and then I quit looking my gift horse in the mouth and get on to planning my three days of freedom in the August sun.
But this year it occurred to me that perhaps I've been unfair; perhaps this day has a rich, meaningful history and I've just been missing the point.
So I investigated. And here's what I've unearthed:
Fact 1: A B.C. politician dreamed it up in the 1970s.
According to the provincial government's protocol and events branch, the British Columbia Day Act was first introduced as Bill 61 in 1974 by Ernie Hall, provincial secretary under Premier Dave Barrett. Notes prefacing the bill state: "The purpose of this Bill is to recognize the pioneers of British Columbia by declaring the first Monday of August in each year to be a public holiday known as British Columbia Day."
Fact 2: By "dreamed up," I mean "swiped from other provinces."
In debates, Hall stated that, "We feel that British Columbia, like every other province, could benefit and should have a holiday around Aug. 1."
Currently, a civic holiday is celebrated in early August across all provinces and territories except Quebec, Yukon, and Newfoundland and Labrador. But only B.C., Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, Nunavut, and the Northwest Territories consider it a statutory holiday.
Fact 3: The politician busted out a historical tie-in to argue his point.
Hall noticed that "by coincidence," British Columbia became a Crown colony on Aug. 2, 1858. (The Crown colony lasted until 1871, when it joined the newly-formed nation of Canada. When created, the colony was only about half the physical size of present-day B.C., excluding Vancouver Island and other coastal islands, areas to the East of the Rockies, and areas north of the Nass and Finlay rivers.)
Fact 4: Nobody knows how you're supposed to celebrate it.
A stroll through cyberspace shows no defined traditions or customs associated with B.C. Day. According to Premier Gordon Campbell's B.C. Day statement last year (his office hasn't yet issued one for this year), here's what the day's all about: "British Columbia Day is an opportunity for people all across the province to spend time with their family and friends and to remember and celebrate all the things that make British Columbia the Best Place on Earth," Campbell said. "We are fortunate to live in a province of unparalleled natural beauty with communities that are among the most vibrant and multicultural anywhere in the world."
Fact 5: We've actually already had B.C. Day this year.
Oh, I know - I missed it too. Possibly because it was overshadowed by an equally-contrived yet far better marketed occasion, featuring cherubs and hearts. But yes. Our premier's office declared Feb. 14, 2010 to be "British Columbia Day at the Winter Games" - a day which included actors in historical dress roaming the downtown core and street teams handing out "a special B.C. Day pin and B.C. flags."
So that's about the long and short of it. Rich and meaningful history? Not so much. Cherished traditions? Nada. Smirk-worthy? Probably.
But that said, who's complaining? Three free days in the sun are three free days in the sun. So Happy B.C. Day, all! Just don't think it through too hard.
