Sugar Tax and Sunday shopping

How many of you listen to the Rick Howe talk show? The Rick Howe show was quite interesting last week as a sugar tax on sugar drinks  have been discussed . Rick supports this tax on the drinks to combat it. As I listened to the show, while going for my jog at HB studio, I remembered at one point in time , Rick was strongly opposed to Sunday shopping. But now he is out shopping on Sunday , like it's another day. Yes sadly it is , because we let it be this way. Now my point about a Sugar tax and Sunday shopping. By allowing these stores to be open illegally on a Sunday, because the courts never ruled on Sunday shopping and it was a binding plebiscite, we opened the doors to other problems. It's another day people for you to shop, it's another day for you to buy sugar products that are obviously addictive. This is why a ban is necessary . These products are put at eye level, it's to entice you to buy more of these products. We are living in a society, that thrive on our addictions. It's a profit maker, this is why we have so many people over weight.  Yes you can be over weight by going the other six days a week. By allowing stores to be open another day , has only added to the problems we have today in our society. Are you outraged? If you are not outraged , you're not listening. Are you outraged Rick Howe? Are you listening Rick Howe? Are we awake in Nova Scotia? How can we continue to let our province continue in that slippery slop? Families no longer bond and have family dinners together. Families go out and buy unhealthy foods. At what costs? Our health care system and we all pay for it. Our families who should be on top of our lists, not the bottom. It's the religion of business who's destroying life as we see it. Wake up Canada...Wake up Nova Scotia.

Michigan Pastor Calls On All Christians To Stop Shopping On Sundays

Save Our Sundays Facebook Page 

Save Our Sundays Twitter 

Save Our Sundays You Tube 


Right to Refuse to work Sundays and Holidays Nova Scotia 

Workers do have this right to refuse, companies scare them into working Sunday shifts.

Right to Refuse to work Sundays Ontario 


Keep Sundays Special UK 

Why we lost bonding as a Family and a Pastors request to stop Sunday shopping

After reading an article on line - Michigan Pastor Calls On All Christians To Stop Shopping On Sundays http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2015/11/30/michigan-pastor-calls-on-all-christians-to-stop-shopping-on-sundays/http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2015/11/30/michigan-pastor-calls-on-all-christians-to-stop-shopping-on-sundays/  . I'm thinking about this issue in another light. I've never fought Sunday shopping under a religious issue. After reading the article and the Pastors request, I'm wondering why the majority of Ministers are so silent about Sunday being a day of rest? You never hear them preach the Sabbath, you never hear them encourage Sundays to be family days. It's like the whole issue is swept under the rug and forgotten. Since when does God's word change if you're a Christian? Ministers do not teach about the day of rest any more and a large percentage of church goers go out shopping after a church service. When we were little our parents taught us right from wrong. If you're not taught, you’re not going to learn. If you're not taught about Sunday and the day of rest, you're not going to learn about it.

Families do not bond like they used to, you never hear about family dinners like we used to have. Most parents are not close to their kids these days, not like years ago when stores were closed Sundays. We can not blame it all on Sunday shopping, other factors like the internet and TV play a role in the death of human bonding. If we do not set a day aside it's pretty hard for humans to get together to talk and bond. I had a few people tell me that the government has no business in telling a family when they should bond? Obviously they aren’t bonding and we have Sunday shopping to blame for a big part of it. But we can protect Birds, we can fight to protect the environment . But human bonding isn't important? Chilling out from the rat race isn't important? We set days aside for Canada Day, Christmas, New Years etc. But not for families? Hello? Isn't it time,

that we wake up and see what we are doing as a human race?

I was into a local Irving on Dec 24th, to top up my gas. I will not shop or buy gas on a Sunday or a Holiday. One of the managers told me she wished they would close for at least one day a year. A company that huge making billions of dollars and they can not afford to let their employee's enjoy Christmas off. Capitalism obviously isn't working, after Sundays were taken from most employee's , companies want more and more. At what cost?

Our churches are guilty for given up sermons that encourage Sundays as the day of rest. So if churches do not encourage human bonding, will Atheists preach about it? Will any other organizations step forward ? Religions have caused a lot of wars in history, but we have forgotten about all the good things that they do? We protect birds, we fine people for littering our roads and we are trying to protect our environment. Why aren't we protecting our families? Why aren't we promoting family life any more? We need to get back to the good old days. Christmas is about giving and what a special gift it would be to have public support . Not shopping on a Sunday! Planning and managing you're purchases so you don't have to shop. Being human is caring about one another. Not being selfish. Seriously do we need to watch movies at a theater on a Sunday? Knowing that we are responsible for them being there? Being responsible that he or she can not be home with their kids? All we have to do is stop shopping !

You can give a gift to someone with out it being of a material nature. By encouraging them to have that time home, by encouraging government legislation closing stores down.

You do not have to be a Christian to be any less human ! An atheist also needs time to bond also with his or her families.

I remember when the debate was in full swing in Nova Scotia, and one of the biggest arguments was why is it OK to eat at a restaurant , go to tim's on a Sunday, while grocery stores & Walmart's had to close? A good campaign can be real successful when you can play one occupation off against one another. Instead of solving the problem, government and business using the media convinced the general public that this is wrong. I'm going to tell you what's wrong with that in a few several points. First off if you buy a new car , does that mean everyone should buy one too? Several occupations are off on Sundays and nothing is ever mentioned about them, including government services.  If one occupation wants Sundays off and another wants to work, how can we condemn or punish those who do not want it? The problem could have been solved, by closing other non essential services as well. It's not important to buy a Tim's coffee on a Sunday or go to a movie. If we are not doing any of these things, no corporation would have the hours to give them or make them work. If a major snow storm comes on a Sunday, it's funny how many people can find the time to shop the day before. We all like material things and that is one of those things that makes us human. But when these material things and our addictions take away from someone else to spend time and bond with their families, we have a major problem. It's not about you're right to shop, it's about what we have lost because of Sunday shopping.  How about an Act of kindness starting today? January 1st, 2016? I pledge not to shop on Sundays, I pledge not to go to the movies or to Tim's on a Sunday. I pledge to buy my gas the day before ! Please support us by liking our facebook page Save Our Sundays. You can also like us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/sundayshopping

Please share on any social media, ask one person to share and ask the other person share it too.

On another note, I was on the Rick Howe show one morning and he said to me , isn't it time you give this up? Sunday shopping is here to stay? I can not give this up, we all have a gut feeling and this is one of them , that I have. A feeling not to give this up and speak up , hoping that our  beautiful world with the people in it, will see what we have lost. It's not about shopping, it's about the human bonding, togetherness that we have all lost. I want to wish all of you a Happy New Year , and do not be afraid to speak up about family time and how important that is. 

Remembrance day a day to reflect on and why?

Society has come to the point of a break down in all areas .First off millions of people died for us, so that we would have the freedom to vote. The Freedom to spend time with our loved ones and actually bond and have close relationships. This isn't happening no longer and we should be extremely concerned about it. Nova Scotian's are in denial, you're government lied to you, the media misled you. Why? Big business was obviously behind it. I can remember John Hamm our former premier announced several times that he was under pressure to open stores up on Sunday. I have the highest respect for him,  as he did not cave in to big business and he honored our vote.  How many parents are out there that their kids do not come to see them any more? I know a lot of kids that don't spend time with mom and dad any more. I know people who go to the mall just to see people, as one man told me no one visits us at home any more, so we go to the mall. You can not get close to anyone if you do not have that time to bond and be together as a family. We set time aside for Christmas, and other holidays. Families need at least one day a week to bond and to be together. To grow in love, to grow together in the good times and bad. We're not doing that any more! We're addicted to our cell phones, liquor, internet etc. We are always in a rush . We do not know what it means to slow down in more ways than one. Millions of people died for us and what did we do? The most important aspect of being human is having that time to be together and to bond. Time to make memories, play ball with you're kids, checkers or what ever. Wages haven't increased for workers either and the pressure of working these shifts increase every day. What have we seriously become? Puppets for corporations?

We let our government, the media and business do what they do best, we let them get away with ignoring a democratic vote that was binding. So isn't that being a hypocrite when you attend these ceremonies on Remembrance day? Clearly the courts never ruled on Sunday shopping.  http://decisions.courts.ns.ca/nsc/nssc/en/item/10101/index.do?r=AAAAAQAPU3VuZGF5IHNob3BwaW5nAQ   In order to put this entire matter in the proper perspective I will repeat, yet again, what this application is NOT about. It is not about any social or political considerations respecting the appropriateness of Sunday shopping; nor is it about the constitutional authority of the legislature to enact legislation dealing with Sunday shopping; nor is it about the protection of vulnerable retail employees being required to work on Sundays. This application is simply about the scope of the authority or power granted to the Governor in Council (Cabinet) to make regulations pursuant to the Act.

I had the opportunity to go on the Rick howe show on News 97.7 FM.  https://soundcloud.com/tony-lohnes-49279945/october-15-2015-open-hour . It's amazing how negative he was telling me to get over it, and that the plebiscite we had wasn't binding. From CBC web site - http://www.cbc.ca/m/touch/canada/story/1.510063

"A plebiscite is binding only if the authority that calls for the vote pledges to follow the results." What CBC didn't mention, that the vote was binding, why didn't they tell you the way it actually is ? http://nslegislature.ca/legc/bills/59th_1st/1st_read/b002.htm 

(b) authorizes a binding plebiscite on Sunday shopping to be held during the next municipal elections in the Fall of 2004 (giving a choice between shopping every Sunday except when otherwise a uniform closing day under the Act, shopping on the six Sundays before Christmas and no shopping on any Sunday) and authorizes the implementation of the result of the plebiscite by regulation;

http://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20041017001 Nova Scotians have said no to more Sunday shopping.

In a binding, provincewide plebiscite held on Saturday,
Oct. 16, with 49 of 55 municipalities reporting, the
unofficial total provincial vote opposed to Sunday shopping
was 55 per cent.

Rick Howe on the following day admitted he was wrong and that in deed the plebiscite was binding - https://soundcloud.com/tony-lohnes-49279945/rick-howe-october-16-2016 .  Mark Parent did an interview on You tube with me and also said that the plebiscite wasn't binding - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14HIVGnfx2M&feature=youtu.be 

Maureen MacDonald's comments in the legislature.

https://nslegislature.ca/legislative-business/hansard-debates/assembly-60-session-1/60_1_house_06nov01.htm#I[Page%20918]  Yes, Mr. Speaker, there were people who were very happy that Sunday shopping was coming because that's what they wanted and there were people who weren't so happy, especially retail workers and small, independent retail shop owners, and corner store operators and certainly members of many Christian denominations. Also, we have to acknowledge that there were people who probably didn't care at all, one way or another. But the thing that struck me about all of those different points of view was what the Leader of the Liberal Party said, and I completely concur with his remarks. The absolute confusion and the genuine concern that people all across the spectrum, in terms of their viewpoints on this issue felt, when the government made their incredible flip-flop on this very important issue and essentially hid behind Mr. Justice Richards' decision and I think added to the confusion in the public. I wouldn't say wilfully added because that would be impugning motive, which isn't permitted here, Mr. Speaker, but certainly their position added to the confusion and perpetuated the idea that somehow the courts had struck down Sunday shopping in our province. That simply did not occur. That wasn't what happened, but what the courts did, they said the regulations that the Cabinet had passed in response to Sobeys and Superstore opening their boutique-type arrangements was a regulation that exceeded the power of the Cabinet. The proper place for debate around how to deal with uniform retail closings in the Province of Nova Scotia is not behind that secret curtain that the Cabinet so often likes to hide behind. It's here on the floor of the House of Assembly.

Nova Scotia, you let you're government and media and business get away with this. Society is breaking down, families no longer bond and what do you do..say nothing. Are you going to be silent and watch the break down of society continue? The media should apologize for misleading you, and not telling you the truth. On Remembrance day think about all those people who died for you , so that you could vote and what did you do? You let the government get away with it. You let the media get away with it.  Churches , unions, you name it , all silent about the whole scam. Are you’re eyes open yet? This November 11th, I'll reflect on that day the sacrifice that these people did for us. Giving us the freedoms we should have and not ignore democratic votes because it doesn't suit us.

Save Our Sundays Facebook Page 


Save Our Sundays Twitter 

Save Our Sundays You Tube 

Let's keep all stores closed on Holidays

 

I'll tell you why?

 

I recently read an article on the Toronto Sun that upset me to no end. I know everyone is entitled to an opinion, but so am I. My comments weren't published on the Toronto's Suns web site. http://www.torontosun.com/2015/09/01/let-all-stores-open-on-holidays

My comments that weren't published.

 

"Wow the same BS that was used to get Sunday shopping in??? Play one occupation off against another to get what you want. Just because Joe buys a new car , doesn't mean that Sue has to do the same. There are millions of people off on Sundays and Holidays and I'm sure they are not made to feel guilty because other people work them. We do not put down letter carriers for being off. Good Lord, trying to make people feel guilty for using power?? Power is an essential service hello??There are people who chose these professions to work these shifts . Retail workers did not. How many people who are off, go to a convenience store on a Sunday or a holiday that are off?? And not all of them are retail workers, millions of people who are already off. I'm not one of them who goes to a corner store. This is propaganda for big business who is pushing for stores to be open 24/7. Just a special note to retail workers, you might get double time and think you got the world by the balls, but when a holiday becomes a normal day, you'll lose all those benefits that you get to work them in the first place. These business's control the media and are well trained to suck you all in. It's pathetic, we except gays, blacks, and other types of people because they are different, yet...we expect retail workers to be slaves. Close the stores down on Sundays too, wake up people, these people are trying to brainwash you with this shit. "

 

A quote from his article " McEwan asks, “Whose business is it for the government to tell me I can’t open? It is none of their business.

Seriously, we have a government to look out for us and it's none of there business? Do we have blind folds on that we can not realize that government's already tell business owners what to do? Does the minimum wage ring a bell? Telling a business how to spend their money is telling them what to do ( That employee's earned for them) .As a matter of fact it's going on all over the world, a push for a living wage & a higher minimum wage. How about telling an employer they have to pay you holiday pay for staying home on Christmas, Canada Day etc? That's telling a business owner what to do.  This propaganda BS is being feed to the people all the time, and yet you all buy it. Hello? Isn't it time we realize that these corporations are running the show? Controlling the media? Comments like people lining up to get double time on a holiday. Are we blinded that we can not see through the fog banks? What's going to happen if this comes a reality in all Canadian provinces? If a Holiday becomes a normal day, how long do you think they'll want to pay you double time? Seriously are we starting to wake up? Look at the perks these guys used to get you to work on Sundays. I have to hand it big business, little by little they bring things in and after awhile people forget. Our government is being controlled by the corporations , family life is already suffering with having stores closed on Sundays.

 

"If you are one of those people insisting that capitalism can wait a day and that life is not all about business, you will show yourself to be a hypocrite unless you sit at home all day with the lights off on Labour Day.

Don’t go to a movie, a concert or play because you will be forcing unfortunate theatre employees to work on a holiday, collecting extra pay. Same thing with restaurants; don’t eat out."

As a matter of fact sir, I do not go to a movie and I do not go to a restaurant. Having lights on?? Since when is power not essential? I'm happy that this was brought up in his article. Why shouldn't restaurant and movie workers have the

holiday off too? Since when is it essential to go to a movie or a restaurant on a holiday? I remember when the Sunday shopping debate was in full swing in Nova Scotia. I was told by a boss that other people had to work Sundays, and that I should have too.

I was compared to restaurant workers, call center employee's and the list goes on. Seriously, who's fault is it that these other occupations are working on Sundays and Holidays? It's the governments fault for allowing it, and not giving them equal opportunity to

have the same time off. Can't these other occupations lobby and petition governments to have Holidays and Sundays off? Yes they can but no one in the mainstream media dare to mention it. Shh !

 At that point in time, there was a debate going on about the gays and same sex marriage. I remember all the people defending them for being who they are and for being different. Then I got to thinking, what about us? What about retail workers? Just because one occupation works on Sundays and holidays, doesn't mean another should have to? We don't condemn letter carriers for being off or attacking the dentist because he's off on a Sunday or a holiday. Yet we expect low

income earners to work these shifts because we are bored and addicted to shopping. Consumers love to charge up their credit cards and add more debit on to their income. Yet we wonder why society is suffering the way that it is. Families no longer have time to be together and now we want to add on to that burden...seriously..take the holidays from them as well?  I would love to know if JERRY AGAR is taking his own advice and working on all these holidays as well?

 

A free country has to have restrictions, so that others have the freedoms to enjoy what most Canadians already enjoy, our holidays. Let's bring back Sunday closure's as well, I know it's telling the business owner what to do. Big deal , the government

tells us what to do all the time, corporations are no different. Happy Labor day ! 

Majority of Nova Scotians support a tainted government?

Can you imagine the power of the media? Over and over they kept telling us that we were the last place to have Sunday shopping and how good it would be for us to have it? Our government lied to the people of this province and the media misled Nova Scotians into believing that the courts struck down the ban on Sunday shopping. I do have to give credit where credit is due. The Progress Bulletin has printed every letter that I have written to the papers. A local radio talk show ( NEWS95.7FM) has also let me voice my opinion on radio about the lies that were told to Nova Scotians. I've sent several letters about this into the Halifax Herald, to CBC, ATV and Global (Ignored). If we live in a democracy like so many of you believe, why isn't my voice being heard? Why isn't the 96 people on our petition being heard? Shouldn't this ring bells people?

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/petition-to-stop-sunday-shopping-in-nova-scotia.html

The spending scandal that is taking place in Ottawa has everyone's attention and it's well publicized on radio, TV and in the newspapers. The taxpayer's money that has been stolen and wasted  is inexcusable. Yet, when I sit back and watch the news, I wonder what about the Sunday shopping scandal? The secret that the media doesn't want you to know about! The months of brainwashing you to think that it's something you have to have? The argument they used with you is that word called choice. Choice is a word that was used with the media for big business. Choice was never given to the workers and the shoppers to have one day of break from commercialism. 

The Retail Uniform Business Act did just that. It gave us a break from it all. Do the majority of people support Sunday shopping?  I'm not sure if this is the case, because we were never given another chance to vote in another plebiscite. Our government didn't honor the last plebiscite, so honoring another plebiscite would not happen unless it was in the governments favor. Let's say the majority of Nova Scotians support a tainted government? The majority has been wrong before. We have voted for the PC's , Liberals, and New Democrats and  find our selves voting for a new party every four to eight years.  The majority has been wrong on a number of occasions and the Sunday shopping scandal is another prime example.  To those of you who are a minority against Sunday shopping, here is a quote, something to think about -  "Many people, especially ignorant people, want to punish you for speaking the truth, for being correct, for being you. Never apologize for being correct, or for being years ahead of your time. If you’re right and you know it, speak your mind. Speak your mind. Even if you are a minority of one, the truth is still the truth.❞ -Mahatma Gandhi

The truth is the truth. So why are we covering it up? We are not letting Mike Duffy,  Pamela Wallin get away with wasting tax payers money. What an out rage ah? Because it's on TV, Radio and in the newspapers? But an issue that is equally important, a democratic vote that was binding and never honored the media says nothing and we say nothing. Does it have to be on TV or Radio to make us outraged? Are we sheep? Are we people that can't stand up for right and what's wrong without having the media control us like sheep? We are sending a terrible message to our young people.  Sending a message that we support "Tainted Governments". We are sending messages to our children that we can not make decisions for ourselves with out TV and radio controlling us.

Remembrance day is almost upon us. Soldiers that have died for us to have freedoms, people who died for us so that we could have a government to make laws and protect us. People get confused when they hear...I should be able to shop when I want and work when I want to. That argument is only used against retail workers who are pressured to work on Sundays.  You never hear that argument used to open up government offices on a Sunday and give choices to those workers who want to work on Sundays. I never hear any complaints from them , wanting to work Sundays do you? We do not hear an out cry from letter carriers wanting to deliver mail on Sundays. I don't. I do not blame them for wanting time off to spend with loved ones. We have become too addicted to shopping and to addicted to the media for information that isn't always the truth. If you continue to support a tainted government, you have no right to complain about them or their actions.   A letter writer in a local paper has it right on about our tainted government - http://www.southshorenow.ca/en/20131002/Letters/14910/Think-hard-before-you-vote.htm
When will you wake up and realize the mistakes we have all made by saying nothing? By supporting a lie and ignoring it?

Sunday shopping has hurt us more than just shopping

After the killings in Connecticut, I have been really thinking. What's wrong with our society? What are we lacking? I cannot imagine killing my mother, let alone even thinking about it. It's sad so many innocent kids, were killed that never had a chance in life to live and grow and prosper. Mothers and fathers will never get over this loss and my heart goes out to each and every one of those families. It seems like we are headed down a road of a society that's heading for a collapse! Love, caring and sharing isn't taught any more, unless it's taught by a very few minority of parents out there. There's a lot more of " If it doesn't effect me, I don't care" attitude. How many of you notice that everything has changed? For example go across a cross walk, and see how many people give you the eye like they are thinking " why are you on the cross walk? I want to get by". Instead of being nice to the walker and letting them cross with out getting an evil eye. Some of them will try to run you over, so be careful.

One person told me that he loves to shop on Sunday. That same person works Monday to Friday. Another example of someone who does not care because it does not effect him.  How about those Black Friday specials at Walmart, where people will trample you to death, just to get a special. Is this normal folks? I also notice a serious trend, that did not happen years ago, when families spent time together. Kids would actually spend lots of time with their mom and dad and grandparents. Not today, an overwhelming number of them spend less time with mom and dad. What about their grandparents? It's about the same, no time is spent with them either. I have never fought Sunday shopping as a religious issue. Since those killings in Connecticut, I can see what we are missing. Churches teach love, caring and sharing and since the push to get churches and God out of our lives it's pretty obvious we are on a downhill slide and headed for a major crash. Sure there were church ministers that were child molesters . This turned a lot of people off of religion. We can not blame all church ministers for a few bad apples. Churches teach kids to love and care about other people. This isn't happening now! At one time, Sundays were considered the day of rest. Moms and Dads could attend church services because they were not working. But not now. Workers that did go to church caved into working on Sunday because they fear of not moving up the ladder and to get promoted. The sad part is that people get tied up in working and even shopping not realizing what's really going on? It's not just about shopping! It's about love, caring and sharing that's being taught at churches.

 

But today less people are attending church and their kids are spending Sunday at the mall, buying video games instead of learning about love, caring and sharing. We are missing all of this ! It's obvious by so many situations that's happening right in front of us.  So many examples and we still don't see the light. Why is it that we always hear that religion causes wars? Yes religions have caused wars, BUT so has our governments and we have not given up on them. They tell us you can't teach morality. Why not? You have to teach your kids right from wrong. Sure there are good parents out in our society, but it seems there are less of them these days. To have a world with people that actually care about one another, we have to accept churches back into our lives so that we can build a strong future with love, caring and sharing. If it's not going to be the churches then who? What organization will do it? Will our government teach us about love and caring about one another? Seriously folks, it's not just about shopping! When we start caring and only then, we will have a society to be proud of. A common day off is seriously needed. Teaching our young people about love, caring and sharing is so important. But let's go even further by treating your elders with respect and not forgetting about spending time with those people whom you love.  We used to do all of these things on a Sunday. We are missing that in our lives. Our addictions to shopping, our addictions to that sugar and alcohol that we must go and get on a Sunday. Because we are used to it!  When are we going to wake up as a society and see the slippery slope? How many churches speak about the Sabbath any more? Are they scared of offending people? Whether it's Saturday or Sunday, a day off is needed for our kids for today and tomorrow for our society to grow and prosper . For love , caring and sharing to spread all over the world. How about joining our facebook page and supporting Save Our Sundays?http://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-Our-Sundays/102221753225986?sk=info

Together we can spread the words... Love , Caring and sharing. This is what we are missing in so many ways. Let's do it before we lose it all. It's all in front of us, the down hill slope! The love of money is the root of all evils and it's pretty obvious that this is the case. How many companies care about family life? How many of them close on Sundays? If it's not legislated it won't happen. If it were not law, we would not pay taxes either. Think about this, our government protects water ways, lands and even has laws about littering. One of the most important elements in life ...our families and we don't protect them. Sundays were the foundation where our kids were taught how to love and care about other people. Money and those with power and greed are destroying our planet. Even the environment has taken the back seat. So many things we don't seem to care about any more. Come on Nova Scotia, wake up! Can't you see what we have lost? A lot.

Save Our Sundays launches petition to stop Sunday shopping

Petition to Stop Sunday Shopping in Nova Scotia


 Media, business, and tourism had a very good campaign to convince Nova Scotians that Sunday shopping would be good for Nova Scotians. The retail sector, that was normally closed on Sundays, were often compared to other occupations who work on Sundays such as restaurants, call centers, police, hospitals etc. It was unfair then to expect retail workers to work on Sundays because others chose to do so.

We do not expect our government to work on Sundays because church ministers do. We certainly don't expect Tom to buy a new car because Susan bought one. Morally, it was wrong to expect retail workers to give up their Sundays. In 2004, Nova Scotians went to the polls in a binding plebiscite to decide on the issue. http://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20041017001

Nova Scotians have said no to more Sunday shopping. In a binding, provincewide plebiscite held on Saturday, Oct. 16, with 49 of 55 municipalities reporting, the unofficial total provincial vote opposed to Sunday shopping was 55 per cent.

Unofficial results on the ballot's first question -- should there be Sunday shopping (in retail businesses not now permitted to be open on Sunday) -- are:
98,726 No (55 per cent)
81,110 Yes (45 per cent)

"I want to thank Nova Scotians for voting on this important public policy issue," said Justice Minister Michael Baker. "Our government made the commitment to let Nova Scotians decide the Sunday shopping issue, and today the majority made its collective choice clear. Sunday shopping will remain as it is now -- governed by the Retail Business Uniform Closing Day Act."

Two local grocery chains decide to take the government to court over the issue, as they did not have a level playing field. Pete's Frootique a local grocer subdivided his stores so he could open up on Sundays, while the two chains also subdivided their stores to open on Sundays. Rodney MacDonald premier at that time, said it was ok for Pete Frootique to subdivide , while the grocery chains were not. The issue went to the courts. The general public was under the impression , that the courts struck down the Sunday shopping ban. This isn't what the courts ruled on. The courts ruled on discrimination, not the Retail Business Uniform Closing Day Act.

http://decisions.courts.ns.ca/nsc/nssc/en/item/10101/index.do?r=AAAAAQAPU3VuZGF5IHNob3BwaW5nAQ - on the courts web site it clearly states,
"Well, what this application is about is not about social or political considerations. It’s not about the appropriateness of Sunday shopping, nor is it about the power of the legislature to pass an Act dealing with Sunday shopping. This case, this application is about one fact and it is about the scope of the Cabinet’s power to pass Regulations pursuant to the Act."

http://www.gov.ns.ca/legislature/hansard/han60-1/house_06nov01.htm#I[Page%20918]

MS. MAUREEN MACDONALD spoke at the Legislature on WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2006
"Mr. Speaker, but certainly their position added to the confusion and perpetuated the idea that somehow the courts had struck down Sunday shopping in our province. That simply did not occur."

 We, the undersigned, call on the Nova Scotia government to stop Sunday shopping in Nova Scotia for the following reasons.

1) It is not right for a government to support playing one occupation off against another. Other occupations have the right to lobby and protest that government to be included in any law;

2) The Plebiscite was binding, Nova Scotians voted No;

3) Clearly the courts never ruled on the Retail Business Uniform Closing Day Act. Stores by law should have never been allowed to open. The courts did not rule on this.

4) Sunday shopping has not improved family life but has hurt it;

5) Prices have increased since Sunday shopping and its costs have been passed down to the consumers. Low income and seniors struggle to pay bills.

6) Valerie Payn spokeperson for the Chamber of Commerce admits that there is no extra money being made by being open on Sundays "Given that per capita expenditure (adjusted for inflation) has not increased it appears also that the opportunity to shop an extra day has not driven people to purchase what they don’t need any more than they did before, they can just do it at a time that is more convenient to them."

7) High gas prices hurt us all by stores being open seven days a week. More people are driving , yet spending more in stores is not happening. We can help reduce gas prices with less store hours.

8) Our environment comes into play, with so many cars on our roads and pollution. We can help cut emissions by closing stores one day a week.

9) Lights are on seven days a week, adding costs to us the consumers .There is no extra money by being open another day. So who pays for this? We do!

10) Most important, one day of no traffic and a day that is quiet. A day that is different from all the rest.

11) If we can push for a family day in February, Why not push for 52 family days.!

Click on the Link to sign the petition and pass it on to others on Facebook,  Twitter, email etc.

Petition to Stop Sunday Shopping in Nova Scotia