THE CANADIAN PRESS

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VANCOUVER, B.C. - The head of the B.C. Federation of Labour is taking a suggestion from the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee one step further and calling for a provincewide statutory holiday in February 2010.

Jim Sinclair said Friday that a new holiday would bring B.C. in line with other provinces and help address concerns such as traffic congestion during the upcoming Winter Games.

Vancouver Olympic head John Furlong has suggested Vancouver businesses allow staff to work from home or mandate holiday time during the Olympics to ease potential traffic gridlock.

But Sinclair said forcing workers to take their vacations in the middle of winter because it's convenient for the Olympic committee is a terrible idea.

"Why should I use up my holidays in the middle of February so the streets are open for the Olympics and give up my holidays with my kids in summer?" he said. "It makes no sense to force people to take their holidays. I'm totally opposed to that idea."

Sinclair proposed Feb. 12, the first day of the Olympics, for the holiday so it would become a symbol of the Games for British Columbians.

"It would mean that not just the people who can attend the Olympics, which are going to be the minority, but the majority would celebrate a holiday for the legacy of a holiday."

Sinclair said asking businesses to shut down for two weeks during the Olympics also doesn't make sense because of the tough economic times many are facing.