The Craftmens Spectacle

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Running Head: The Craftsman Spectacle Craftsmen’s Spectacle: Labour Day Parades in Canada, The Early Years Name of the student College Instructor Course Craftsmen’s Spectacle: Labour Day Parades in Canada, The Early Years Introduction The article “The Craftsmen’s Spectacle: Labour Day Parades in Canada, The Early Years” focuses on the history of labour relations in Canada. It explains how Labour Day became a statutory holiday, its initial objectives and changes that have occurred over time. The article explains that, though Labour Day was organized in order to appreciate the organized labour force and discuss issues that can improve the workers’ productivity, presently, the workers have shifted from these traditional goals and Labour Day has lost its meaning. The craftsmen spend the day engaging in leisure due to commercialization of the labour festival hence undermining the workers call for solidarity. The first Labour Day was well organized with craftsmen in different fields moving around cities into Queens Park displaying their paraphernalia to the public. About 3000 craftsmen were organized by marshals led by Joseph Marks. Though it did not have national coordination, it became the most expansive form of working class culture creation in Canada. It is over few decades that Labour Day took an official shape. Among its key responsibilities, include recognition of labour as a tool for development and bargaining for good working conditions against those employed by the capitalist economy. Despite the high-geared fight for the recognition of Labour Day, after its approval as a public holiday, it was faced with many challenges ranging from legal challenges to low participation as workers engaged in private business during Labour Day celebrations. The Birth of a Workers Festival Labour Day became the first legal holiday dedicated to a certain class of
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