National Patriots' Day (Journe nationale des patriotes) is a statutory holiday, but only within the Canadian province of Quebec. It is not a federal public holiday in Canada and is not observed in any other province or territory. The holiday is held annually on the Monday preceding May 25th. Its status as a statutory holiday is determined by provincial legislation, specifically Quebec's Act respecting labour standards, which entitles eligible employees to a paid day off.
The distinction lies in Canada's division of powers between federal and provincial governments. While the federal government establishes national public holidays for federally regulated employees (e.g., in banking, telecommunications, and federal civil service), each province and territory designates its own list of statutory holidays for the majority of the workforce under its jurisdiction. National Patriots' Day was officially established by the Quebec government in 2002 to replace the former Fte de Dollard. It was created to commemorate the political and armed struggle of the Patriotes in the Lower Canada Rebellion of 18371838 and serves as a distinct cultural and historical observance on the same date that most other Canadian provinces celebrate Victoria Day, a holiday honoring the former British monarch.
In practical terms, whether an individual receives a paid holiday depends on their location and sector of employment. An employee working under Quebec's provincial labour laws is entitled to the day off. However, a federal employee working within Quebec observes the list of federal public holidays, which includes Victoria Day on that same date, not National Patriots' Day. Therefore, while its name contains the word "National," its legal application as a statutory holiday is exclusively provincial.
