72nd Regiment, Seaforth Highlanders of Canada engaged in Aid to Civil Powers for the Coal Miners' Strike on Vancouver Island, Nanaimo,1913 - 1914. Caption: "Church Parade Empire Day 1914 / Capt. Leckie D.S.O." A Guard of the Seaforths in full scarlets on parade for Empire Day on 22 May 1914. Marching in front of them is Captain John Edwards "Jack" Leckie. In the rear of the photo is another unit which could be the 6th Duke of Connaught's Rifles or the 88th Victoria Fusiliers. The photo was taken in Nanaimo, BC. Photo taken at the same time as 1985.015.002.190 and 1985.015.002.191 . Empire Day was observed annually on the school day preceding the May 24 holiday for Queen Victoria's birthday. It was the most important patriotic rite for children in English-speaking Canada from its first observance on 23 May 1899 until the 1950s. Empire Day celebrations were associated with imperialism, militarism and immigrant assimilation. After an initial decline in the 1930s, the celebrations were rejuvenated by WW II. In later years various provinces renamed the day Commonwealth or Citizenship Day. The Vancouver Island Coal Strike began on 16 Sept. 1912 when miners at Cumberland declared a "holiday" to protest the firing of Oscar Mottishaw. Canadian Collieries locked them out and hired Chinese and strike breakers. The issues were safety (gas explosions had killed hundreds) and union recognition. Other employers followed the pattern in resisting any union. By spring 1913, 3,500 miners from Vancouver Island were off work with the United Mine Workers of America providing leadership and strike pay. In the summer of 1912, the Vancouver and Nanaimo Coal Co., settled with its employees, but not before rioting, arsons and "shoot-outs" had broken out in all the coal towns. Peace was restored when the BC government sent in 1,000 militiamen. The withdrawal of strike pay in the summer of 1914 and the beginning of WW I ended the confrontation. By then the mines were running at almost pre-strike capacity using newly hired labour.