The time for budgetary austerity sounded in France. “We are at a critical moment in our history,” Prime Minister François Bayrou said on Tuesday. Threatened by “crushing by debt” – which would be the third in importance of the euro zone, behind Greece and Italy -, the government proposes to freeze state expenditure … and to remove two holidays.
Professional productivity must be increased, said the Prime Minister, and this abolition could bring back “several billion euros in the state budget”. In its sights, two spring leave: Easter Monday and May 8 (end of the Second World War in Europe).
May has “become a real Gruyère,” said Mr. Bayrou, since four other holidays occur during this period: Good Friday, Labor Day (1is May), Ascension (May 29) and Pentecost (June 9). By abolishing two holidays, France would join Germany at the bottom of the European ranking with nine public holidays.
Quebec, meanwhile, has only eight public holidays, non -working and paid: Christmas and New Year’s Day (December and January), Friday, Easter Monday (at the choice of the employer), National Patriots Day (end of May), National Day (June 24), Canada Day (1is July), Labor Day (September) and Grace Action (October). The day of souvenir (November 11) and the national day of truth and reconciliation (September 30) are public holidays elsewhere in Canada, but not in Quebec.
