“Here is the test to find whether your mission on earth is finished: if you are still alive it isn’t.”
– Richard Bach
Best wishes for Yom Kippur to those colleagues celebrating this Jewish High Holiday.
Greetings to our newest signatories:
- Richard Shapiro, Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, Air Canada.
- Greg Barker, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Canada Lands Company.
Welcome to both of you. We like to think that you have joined good company!
The Executive held its first meeting today. Each of the Executives are formulating their plans for the pillar they own. Stay tuned.
Diversity related events are starting to take shape. One you might be interested in if you live in the GTA, is this one, sponsored by Canadian Business SenseAbility and hosted by LFDIN member Norton Rose:
Rethinking accessibility beyond compliance
Are you a legal professional or an inclusion champion interested in understanding the business benefits of building accessibility beyond legislative requirements?
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about an alternative accessibility dispute resolution process from our keynote speaker, Lainey Feingold and how it can impact business outcomes. Join our panel of legal and business experts for an intriguing discussion about moving beyond compliance in disability inclusion.
Join us on Tuesday, October 3, 2017, 1:00pm to 4:00pm EST in Toronto
One of the LLD Pillars relates to legal affinity groups and racialized lawyers. Thanks to Fernando Garcia for leading this pillar. He advises that the FACL Annual Conference is on Sat Nov 18th at the Toronto Board of Trade.
Religious and Cultural observances
- October 8 – Mehragan (Iran, Zoroastrian) The word ‘Mehr’ in Persian means kindness, love and friendship. Mehregan is celebrated by Zoroastian and Persian (Iranian) people and was based on the concept that all of the farmers would bring their harvest in the middle of the town square and split it up evenly.
- October 9 – Thanksgiving (Canada) Early Canadian settlers gave thanks for good harvests by decorating their churches with fruits and vegetables and celebrated dinner with venison and waterfowl.
- October 9 – Columbus Day (USA) This day commemorates the anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ discovery of the New World.
- October 9 – Taiiku no hi (Japan) Also known as Health-Sports Day or Sports Day, is a national holiday in Japan held annually on the second Monday in October. It commemorates the opening of the 1964 Summer Olympics being held in Tokyo, and exists to promote sports and an active lifestyle.
- October 11 – Coming Out Day (LGBT) The first National Coming Out Day was held on October 11, 1988. It is an international event which gives gay, lesbian and bisexual people the opportunity to ‘come out’ to others about their sexuality. It also provides a means of increasing the visibility of gay people.
- October 11 – International Day of the Girl (UN) International Day of the Girl officially declared December 19, 2011 by the United Nations General Assembly, recognizes the rights of girls and the particular challenges they face in the world.
- October 12 – Dia de la Raza (Mexico) This day celebrates the Hispanic and Latino heritage in the Americas.
- October 13 – Simchat Torah (Jewish) Simchat Torah or Rejoicing in the Torah is the beginning of the synagogue’s annual reading cycle. It begins at previous sundown.
- October 14 – International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction (Global) By resolution 44/236 (22 December 1989), the General Assembly designated the second Wednesday of October International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction. It is to be observed annually as a vehicle to promote a global culture of natural disaster reduction, including disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness.
- October 23 – Chung Yeung Festival (China, Hong Kong, Taiwan) Families visit the graves of their ancestors.
Other dates to note
| Date | Event |
| October 1, 2017 | International Day for The Elderly (UN) |
| October 1, 2017 | National Day (China) |
| October 1, 2017 | Independence Day (Cyprus, Nigeria) |
| October 2, 2017 | International Day of Non-Violence (UN) |
| October 2, 2017 | Gandhi’s Birthday (India) |
| October 3, 2017 | Foundation Day (Korea) |
| October 3, 2017 | Day of German Unity (Germany) |
| October 4, 2017 | Harvest Moon Festival (China, Hong Kong, Taiwan) |
| October 4, 2017 | Trung Thu (Vietnam) |
| October 4, 2017 | Chuseok (Korea) |
| October 4, 2017 | Feast of St. Francis of Assisi (Italy) |
| October 5, 2017 | Pavarana (Buddhist) |
| October 5, 2017 | Republic Day (Portugal) |
| October 5, 2017 | World Habitat Day (UN) |
| October 5, 2017 | World Teachers’ Day (UN) |
| October 6, 2017 | Kathina (Buddhist) |
| October 8, 2017 | Independence Day (Croatia) |
| October 9, 2017 | Han-Gul Day (Korea) |
| October 9, 2017 | Independence Day (Uganda) |
| October 9, 2017 | World Post Day (UN) |
| October 10, 2017 | Independence Day (Cuba) |
| October 10, 2017 | Curacao Day (Curacoa) |
| October 10, 2017 | Fiji Day (Fiji) |
| October 10, 2017 | World Mental Health Day (UN) |
| October 10, 2017 | Double Tenth Day (Taiwan) |
| October 11, 2017 | Karva Chauth (Hindu) |
| October 12, 2017 | Shemini Atzeret (Jewish) |
| October 12, 2017 | Nossa Senhora de Aparecida (Brazil) |
| October 12, 2017 | Discovery Day (Bahamas) |
| October 12, 2017 | National Day (Spain) |
| October 12, 2017 | Gahambar Ayathrem (12-16) (Zoroastrian) |
| October 15, 2017 | National Heroes Day (Jamaica) |
| October 16, 2017 | ‘Ilm (12th Month) (Bahá’i) |
| October 15, 2017 | World Food Day (UN) |
| October 16, 2017 | National Boss Day (Canada) |
| October 17, 2017 | International Day for Eradication of Poverty (UN) |
| October 18, 2017 | Independence Day (Azerbaijan) |
| October 19, 2017 | Diwali (Sikh, Hindu) |
| October 19, 2017 | Mahavira Nirvana (Jain) |
| October 21, 2017 | Birthday of the Báb (Bahá’i) |
| October 22, 2017 | Abu Simbel Festival (Egypt) |
| October 22, 2017 | Birth Of Bahá’u’lláh (Bahá’i) |
| October 23, 2017 | Chulalongkorn Day (Thailand) |
| October 23, 2017 | Memorial Day (Hungary) |
| October 24, 2017 | Suez Victory Day (Egypt) |
| October 24, 2017 | World Development Information Day (UN) |
| October 24, 2017 | United Nations Day (UN) |
| October 25, 2017 | Republic Day (Kazakhstan) |
| October 26, 2017 | National Day (Austria) |
| October 27, 2017 | Labour Day (New Zealand) |
| October 28, 2017 | National Day ‘Ochi’ (Greece) |
| October 28, 2017 | National Day (Czech Republic) |
| October 29, 2017 | Republic Day (Turkey) |
| October 31, 2017 | Halloween (Canada, USA) |
| October 31, 2017 | Samhain (Wicca) |
| October 31, 2017 | Reformation Day (Chile) |
| October 31, 2017 | Bank Holiday (Ireland) |
