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Freedom Party of Ontario

- MEDIA RELEASE -

For immediate release



Retail Business Holidays Act

"REPEAL FORCED RETAIL CLOSINGS"

Famed Toronto Furrier Paul Magder Praises Proposal of
St. Paul's By-election Candidate, Paul McKeever

September 3, 2009, Toronto - As the province heads toward Labour Day weekend and Jewish and Muslim high holidays, St. Paul's by-election candidate Paul McKeever today announced that, if elected, he will work to repeal what is left of the Retail Business Holidays Act.

"This backward old law - which targets only retail businesses - was never just for retailers and never fair to shoppers", says McKeever. 

"Good!", responded Toronto furrier Paul Magder, who may open his store this Labour Day Monday.  "It's about time it was repealed.  This law is terrorism against the small business person who is just trying to make a living.  It violates the Charter.  We're supposed to have rights in this country, but we don't.  We're supposed to be equal." 

"The Employment Standards Act, 2000 also imposes holiday regulations", says McKeever.  "However, I am speaking only about the forced closure of retail stores.

"There is no just reason for prohibiting retail shopping.  Not on religious holy days.  Not on any day.

"Quite properly, we do not force retailers to close their stores for Rosh Hashanah or Eid, and there is no justification for forcing closures for the Christian holidays of Christmas, Easter, and Good Friday either.

"The same goes for secular holidays listed in the Act.  This Labour Day, Ontarians will be free to buy pornography and cigarettes, but it will be illegal for the Magders to sell them a fur coat.  The law makes no sense. 

"This law violates property rights.  It simply is not the government's job to tell retailers and their customers when they can and cannot trade with one another.

"This vestigial left-over from a 20th century relic of law - this discriminatory and backward old Progressive Conservative assault on freedom and commerce - needs to go.  If elected the MPP for St. Paul's I will most certainly work to give it the burial it deserves next to the old, unconstitutional, Lord's Day Act."

 
 
BACKGROUNDER
 
The Retail Business Holidays Act was initially passed into law in 1975 by the Progressive Conservative government of Bill Davis.  Until June of 1992, the Act prohibited retail stores from opening their doors on Sundays and various holidays.  Until 1996, the Act prohibited shopping on Boxing Day.  With numerous exemptions for various types of retailers (e.g., book stores) and for designated tourist areas, the Act now only prohibits some retailers from opening on 8 days of the year: New Year's Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and Easter Sunday. 
 
This year, Labour Day falls on Monday, September 7. 
 
Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) commences on September 18, 2009, one day after the St. Paul's by-election polling day. The Muslim holy days of Eid al-Fitr commence at sunset on September 19.
 
Under the Act, Toronto furrier Paul Magder was charged over 600 times for opening on Sundays, amassing fines and legal fees of over $900,000.00.  Although the Sunday shopping prohibition was lifted by the government of Premier Bob Rae in June of 1992 (largely thanks to Magder's efforts, and despite howls of protest from Rae's own party and caucus), the Ontario government petitioned Magder into bankruptcy in the years that followed.
 
Under the same Act, London bookstore owner Marc Emery (then Action Director for Freedom Party) was jailed for 4 days for refusing to pay his fine for having 4 people work in his store on Sunday, instead of the maximum of 3 provided by the Act

Magder was the guest of honour at Freedom Party's Apri 21, 1987 "Magder Dinner" in Toronto, which raised funds for Magder.  Magder's son, Glen Magder - who now operates Paul & Glen Magder furs with his brother, Paul - was a Freedom Party candidate in 1987.

For further details, contact:

Paul McKeever, Leader, Freedom Party of Ontario
By-election web site: www.paulmckeever.ca

By-election e-mail: pm@paulmckeever.ca
Office: 905-721-9772

 

This media release distributed to all major news media.


Freedom Party of Ontario
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Tel: 1-800-830-3301
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