Five Canadian provinces already celebrate statutory holidays in February -- and an online petition to create one in British Columbia commemorating the 2010 Olympic Winter Games is gaining steam.
On the third Monday in February, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario celebrate Family Day, while Manitoba and Prince Edward Island celebrate Louis Riel Day and Islander Day, respectively.
They also share the statutory holiday with all 50 states, which celebrate President's Day on the third Monday of the month.
British Columbians, however, have no statutory holiday in February – and on Thursday, Kate Holmes created a petition to change that.
"A lot of people could use a little happy glow to get us through to Easter," she said.
The petition calls for the creation of a Glowing Hearts Day to "honour the great success of our 2010 Olympic Games, the swell of national pride originating here, our two winning hockey teams and our many Olympic heroes."
Holmes says the name is both a reference to the Canadian national anthem and a popular slogan used during the Games. By Saturday afternoon, her petition had already collected more than 1450 signatures.
"My goal is as many people as we can get, and everybody to pass it on to their friends and family," she said. "When it slows down or when people stop signing I'll send it off to the premier."
To sign the petition, visit the Go Petition website.
