Sunday Shopping Hours

The only reason that I can think of for government-imposed reduced shopping hours on Sunday is as a throw back to honoring the Christian Sabbath. Slowly over the years Sunday shopping laws have been changed to allow for longer times that business can be open on Sunday and to more types of businesses. Convenience stores were able to be open but the big box stores and malls weren't, slowly that has changed.

Since we supposedly have a secular government why is it that they can tell stores that they can't be open or have reduced hours on Sunday? This is in fact a form of endorsing one faith over another since Jewish people have their day of rest on Saturday, and there are Jewish people in Manitoba.

After pressuring the provincial government, retailers in Manitoba will be able to set their own hours this Boxing Day, which takes place on a Sunday.

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Again we see an example of how the government actually restricts rights and freedoms and that it is a fight to get them to stop then from doing so.

A store is private property, it should be up to the private property owners what their hours will be. If they can be profitable on Sundays then they will open, if they can't then they won't open.

As an employee my labour is sold to my employer with an agreement between us as to what my shift will be. I don't need, nor want, the government stepping in between us telling me when I can or can't work.

The government makes an exception on Boxing Day, what is so special about that day? It is a secular day, has nothing to do with religion, and frankly neither does Christmas unless you choose to make it that way.

If they are willing to be hands-ff on Boxing Day than every other Sunday should be the same case. Leave it up to retailers to pick the hours they want to be open.