QUEBEC-RESEARCH-L Archives

Archiver > QUEBEC-RESEARCH > 2004-10 > 1097957729


From:
Subject: Interesting news
Date: Sat, 16 Oct 2004 16:15:44 EDT




Large turnout expected in N.S. Sunday shopping vote
Sat, 16 Oct 2004

HALIFAX - The only province in Canada to have a year-round Sunday shopping
ban for most retail outlets is voting on the issue of Sunday Shopping.
Both ''Yes'' and ''No'' sides in Nova Scotia suggest long line-ups at advance
polls this week are a good sign for their side in Saturday's plebiscite.
The two sides say the issue will bring out a lot more people than just a
municipal election would attract. Saturday's shopping vote coincides with
municipal elections across the province.
A party organizer for Nova Scotia's branch of the Green Party, Michael
Marshall, says the government is trying to gain favour with Metro Halifax voters
by holding the plebiscite.
Polling has shown most of the support for Sunday shopping year round is in
the urban areas.
Marshall says the Green Party opposes Sunday shopping. He says members
believe it will hurt the economy of rural Nova Scotia and cause more pollution in
Metro Halifax because of increased traffic.
Stephen Plummer, chair of the board of the Halifax Chamber of Commerce, is
strongly in favour of lifting the ban.
He said his group's polling shows that more than 80 per cent of businesses
want to open on Sundays.
"They want to have the freedom of choice. They don't want the governments
telling them when they can open and not open," he said. "[It's] the same with
consumers. I don't think consumers want to be told when they can shop and when
they can't shop.
"I'm just saying, let's wake up. It's the 21st century. Why are we the only
province in Canada that doesn't have that choice. It's not fair. It's not
progressive. It's time for a change."
The ballot asks voters:
Should there be Sunday shopping in retail businesses now not permitted to be
open on Sunday? Yes or No.
And, if there is to be Sunday shopping, should it be on every Sunday or only
the six Sundays immediately before Christmas?
Should the vote favour Sunday shopping, all stores will be permitted to open
between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m., excluding Christmas and Easter Sunday.
Some small shops already open on Sundays.
Nova Scotia Premier John Hamm says he's personally against Sunday shopping,
but will abide by what the voters say.
If the vote favours Sunday shopping, a new law could take effect as of Nov.
7. If it's a negative vote, the shopping issue will be put to rest for the
duration of the government's mandate.
CBC News (that would never happen here, New York State is to cheap to take a
day off and loose sales, even on Christmas......................)



This thread: