Labour Day: Pre-Reading

Holidays & Events
Labour Day
Pre-Reading
A. Warm-Up Questions
1. How many working hours per day are ideal?
2. D
o you think workers should
have the right to strike?
3. H
ow do you think the working conditions
are in Canada compared to other countries?
B. Vocabulary Preview
Match up as many words and meanings as you can.

Check this exercise again after seeing the words in
context on page 2.
1. labour a) to begin
2. statutory holiday b) work
3. cottage c) a summer home out in the country or near a lake
4. originate d) the placing of someone in jail
5. union e) an organized protest by a group of workers or citizens
6. demonstration f) a paid day off that is designated by the government
7. imprisonment g) the refusal to work until certain conditions are changed
8. strike h) the head of the government
9. prime minister i) employees that work together to ensure good working conditions
Copyright 2018, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. ( I N T / V E R S I O N 4 . 0) 1
Labour Day (Canada)
Holidays & Events
Reading
he first Monday of September in Canada is Labour Day. This is a
1. T
statutory holiday throughout the country. Labour Day weekend
is the last long weekend of the summer, and most Canadians think
of it as the one last opportunity to relax at the cottage or take a
cross‑border road trip before the school year begins.
abour Day didn’t originate as a day of relaxation. It started out as

2. L
a day to fight for workers’ rights. Labour Day celebrates the labour
union movement, which recommended eight hours for work, eight
hours for recreation, and eight hours for sleep.
3. In 1872, labour leaders from the Toronto Trades Assembly called
for a demonstration to improve workers’ rights and to protest the
imprisonment of 24 members of the Toronto Typographical Union.
The union leaders had been jailed following an illegal strike. They
were striking to try to secure a nine-hour workday. During the 1872
demonstration, the Toronto Trades Assembly invited workers to form
unions. A similar parade was organized in Ottawa. Shortly thereafter,
Canada’s prime minister, Sir John A. MacDonald, announced that laws
against trade unions would be removed. In 1894, Labour Day became
an official holiday celebrating the rights of workers to form unions,
fight for rights, and have a balanced work life.
4. In the US, Labor Day is held on the first Monday in September as
well. (The word “labour” is one of many “ou” English words that
is spelled without a “u” in American English.) Other countries
celebrate International Workers’ Rights Day on May 1.
Comprehension
1. When is Labour Day in Canada?
2. What caused the labour demonstration in 1872?
3. Who made it legal to have unions in Canada?
4. Why does the reading mention American spelling?
5. What day is similar to Labour Day?
Labour Day (Canada)
Holidays & Events
Vocabulary Review
A. Spot the Error
Circle the vocabulary error in the sentences below.

Correct the word or phrase that needs fixing.
1. Canadian Labor Day is on the first Monday of September.
2. There was a demonstrate on the streets of Toronto.
3. The protestors were questioning the prison of the union leaders.
4. The leader of Canada is the prime resident.
5. It is legal for workers to go on stroke in Canada.
B. Related Words
Look at the list of words below.

Try to place the words in four 1 2 3 4
related groupings. Some of the
words form compound nouns.
Word List:
• government • long
• holiday • weekend
• union • minister
• head • leader
• labour • off
• imprison • jail
• crime • prime
• employees • rights
• statutory • day
Labour Day (Canada)
Holidays & Events
Discussion
Which country in the world gets the most holidays?
Which gets the least? Make a prediction. Then do a little
research. Do the workers in your country get enough time off?
Writing
According to an old-fashioned rule, people should not wear
white after Labour Day. Where do you think this idea came from?
Invent a “Legend of Labour Day” that explains how this fashion
rule came to be. Share your paragraph or story with the class.
Labour Day (Canada)
Holidays & Events
Listening
 http://blog.esllibrary.com/2011/08/31/podcast-labour-day/
Fill in the blanks as you listen to the recording.
1. T
he first Monday of September in Canada is Labour Day.
This is a statutory holiday throughout the country. Labour
Day weekend is the last long weekend of the summer, and
most Canadians think of it as the one last opportunity to
relax at the or take a cross‑border
before the school year begins.
2. L
abour Day didn’t as a day of relaxation.
It started out as a day to fight for workers’ rights. Labour Day
celebrates the labour movement, which
recommended eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and
eight hours for sleep.
3. In 1872, labour leaders from the Toronto Trades Assembly called for
a to improve workers’ rights and
to protest the imprisonment of 24 members of the Toronto
Typographical Union. The union leaders had been jailed following
an strike. They were striking to try
to a nine-hour workday. During the 1872
demonstration, the Toronto Trades Assembly invited workers to form
unions. A similar parade was organized in Ottawa. Shortly thereafter,
Canada’s prime minister, Sir John A. MacDonald, announced that laws
against trade unions would be removed. In 1894, Labour Day became
an holiday celebrating the rights of
workers to form unions, fight for rights, and have a balanced work life.
4. In the US, Labor Day is held on the first Monday in September
as well. (The word “labour” is one of many “ou” English words
that is spelled without a “u” in American English.) Other countries
celebrate Workers’ Rights Day on May 1.

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Holidays & Events

1. How many working hours per day are ideal?

Match up as many words and meanings as you can.

1. labour a) to begin

2. statutory holiday b) work

3. cottage c) a summer home out in the country or near a lake

4. originate d) the placing of someone in jail

5. union e) an organized protest by a group of workers or citizens

6. demonstration f) a paid day off that is designated by the government

8. strike h) the head of the government

 abour Day didn’t originate as a day of relaxation. It started out as

2. What caused the labour demonstration in 1872?

3. Who made it legal to have unions in Canada?

4. Why does the reading mention American spelling?

5. What day is similar to Labour Day?

Circle the vocabulary error in the sentences below.

1. Canadian Labor Day is on the first Monday of September.

2. There was a demonstrate on the streets of Toronto.

3. The protestors were questioning the prison of the union leaders.

4. The leader of Canada is the prime resident.

5. It is legal for workers to go on stroke in Canada.

Look at the list of words below.

Fill in the blanks as you listen to the recording.

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1. How many working hours per day are ideal?

abour Day didn’t originate as a day of relaxation. It started out as

2. What caused the labour demonstration in 1872?

3. Who made it legal to have unions in Canada?

4. Why does the reading mention American spelling?

5. What day is similar to Labour Day?

1. Canadian Labor Day is on the first Monday of September.