Manitoba to recognize day of mourning for Queen Elizabeth II

Most Manitobans will still have to head to work Monday as the Manitoba government recognizes Sept. 19, the date of the funeral in the U.K. for Queen Elizabeth II, as a day of mourning.

Most Manitobans will still have to head to work Monday as the Manitoba government recognizes Sept. 19, the date of the funeral in the U.K. for Queen Elizabeth II, as a day of mourning.

Premier Heather Stefanson announced Tuesday in a news release, non-essential government services and offices will be closed but schools and child-care facilities will remain open.

The day will not be a provincial statutory holiday as such a move would require legislative changes, said Olivia Billson, the premier’s press secretary, in an email to CTV News Winnipeg.

Chuck Davidson, president and CEO of the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce, said in an interview prior to the announcement the government’s approach makes sense.

"It's a real tight turnaround for a lot of employers that would have employees coming in, they would've had events, they would've had meetings – all sorts of things planned for that Monday,” Davidson said. “I get that there’s a uniqueness to this. This isn’t going to be an ongoing thing that happens annually. We understand that but I think the best thing is just that we obviously recognize this as a day of mourning.”

The decision follows an announcement by the federal government Tuesday to make Monday a federal holiday and national day of mourning.

“We will be working with the provinces and the territories to try and see that we're aligned on this,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said earlier on Tuesday. “There are still a few details to be worked out."