Canada to commemorate Queen Elizabeth's funeral with national holiday Sept. 19
September 14, 2022, 10:00 am

Canada to commemorate Queen Elizabeth's funeral with national holiday Sept. 19

This afternoon The Queen received the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, for an Audience at Windsor Castle (File photo: The Royal Family official Facebook page)

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday (Sep 13) declared a national holiday as a mark of respect for Queen Elizabeth II's funeral Sept. 19, but not all of Canada's provinces will follow suit, the Anadolu Agency reported.

Trudeau's announcement covers federal government employees as Ottawa does not have jurisdiction over employees of the 10 provinces and three territories.

"We will be working with the provinces and the territories to try and see that we're aligned on this," Trudeau said in the announcement in New Brunswick where he is holding a retreat for Liberal members of parliament.

"There are still a few details to be worked out, but declaring an opportunity for Canadians to mourn on Monday is going to be important."

But already Ontario, Canada's most populated province with about one-third of Canada's 38 million residents, has said no to the idea. Instead, Premier Doug Ford's office said there will be a "day of mourning" with no school or business closures.

The Queen’s coffin lies at rest in St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh - The Royal Family official Twitter account

“The people of Ontario may observe a moment of silence at 1:00 p.m. on that day,” the office said in a statement. “We encourage all Ontarians to use this day to honor Her Majesty and pay tribute to the extraordinary legacy she leaves behind.”

Ford's announcement was urged by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), a powerful lobby of small business owners with 95,000 members. The CFIB said making Sept. 19 a statutory paid holiday would cost employers too much in extra pay to employees and cost the economy billions of dollars.

King Charles leads siblings in holding vigil beside Queen’s coffin in Edinburgh

Prince Edward Island, Canada's smallest province, followed Ottawa's lead, while Nova Scotia and New Brunswick said provincial schools and government offices will close but it will be optional for individual businesses and employers.

Quebec will mark Sept. 19 as a day of commemoration, but not a holiday. Other governments have yet to announce their intentions.

It is worthy to note that Canada is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and as such, the queen was its titular head of state for 70 years.

Source: aa

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.