Citizenship vs consumerism, version 504

A few years back, we Nova Scotians cemented our position as the most backward people in Canada -- or proclaimed our uniqueness in valuing of life over work, depending on your point of view -- by voting in a plebiscite to continue the ban on Sunday shopping.

Sunday shopping proponents started fighting the result as soon as it was announced. Halifax Chamber of Commerce head Heather Tulk yesterday said that the government should just let shoppers decide. Great. Citizens have already decided, in a democratic vote. Not good enough apparently. Viva shoppers!

The ban has since been blown open by supermarkets chopping different sections of their shops up into independently incorporated businesses, each of which is small enough to be allowed to open on Sunday. So one Sobeys supermarket, for instance, is now officially a mall, with independently incorporated businesses including Sobeys Fruit Stand Ltd. and Sobeys Meat Market Ltd.

Our recently re-elected bright-light premier has asked the justice department to take a look at this practice. The Halifax Chronicle-Herald quotes him as saying they want to determine "whether the spirit of the law is being followed."

Well, if the spirit of the law was to allow large retailers to stay open on Sundays, then I'd say it's being followed. But if the point of a law against Sunday shopping was to actually make sure some businesses stay closed on Sundays, then you don't need the justice department to tell you the spirit of the law is being completely ignored.