In case you are coming to Canada this weekend, here's a great story of this Monday's holiday, hijacked from the grounds up: The first Monday in August, banks, post office, schools and many businesses are closed, as cities and towns throughout Canada celebrate "Civic Holiday." It started in 1875, as a “Day of Recreation”, celebrated only in the City of Toronto. Other cities liked the idea, and adopted it as an official municipal holiday. A century later (1968), the City of Toronto renamed this “nameless” holiday after Lord John Graves Simcoe. but its still called Civic Holiday --- go figure. It isn’t an official Federal holiday, but most of Canada celebrates it. Quebec does not. (Qu'est ce-qui se passe ici?!!) The holiday has a different name in different places. By hijacking a holiday, first in Toronto, then bit by bit across Canada, most Canadians, except the Quebecois, now have one long weekend every month from May to October.