Canada 2007 (was America/Vancouver 2007)

Wed Apr 5 16:04:53 UTC 2006

I dug up some more news releases from the Manitoba Government.
It seems that the 3:00am transition from daylight savings to standard time was valid prior to 2005.

Oct 1997:
"This year, the official reversion to standard time occurs precisely at 3 a.m., Oct. 26, at which time clocks are turned back to 2 a.m."
 http://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/press/top/1997/10/1997-10-14-01.html

Oct 1998:
"This year, the official reversion to standard time occurs precisely at 3 a.m., Oct. 25, at which time clocks are turned back to 2 a.m.
 http://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/press/top/1998/10/1998-10-13-05.html

Oct 1999:
"This year, the official reversion to standard time occurs precisely at 3 a.m., Oct. 31, at which time clocks are turned back to 2 a.m."
 http://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/press/top/1999/10/1999-10-18-02.html

Oct 2000:
"This year, the official reversion to standard time occurs precisely at 3 a.m., Oct. 29, at which time clocks are turned back to 2 a.m."
 http://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/press/top/2000/10/2000-10-18-02.html

Oct 2001:
"This year, the official reversion to standard time occurs precisely at 3 a.m., Oct. 28, at which time clocks are turned back to 2 a.m."
 http://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/press/top/2001/10/2001-10-17-01.html

Oct 2002:
"This year, the official reversion to standard time occurs precisely at 3 a.m., Oct. 27, at which time clocks are turned back to 2 a.m."
 http://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/press/top/2002/10/2002-10-16-01.html

Oct 2003:
"This year, the official reversion to standard time occurs precisely at 3 a.m., Oct. 26, at which time clocks are turned back to 2 a.m."
 http://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/press/top/2003/10/2003-10-15-03.html

Oct 2004:
"This year, the official change back to standard time will occur at precisely 3 a.m., Sunday, Oct. 31, at which time clocks are turned back to 2 a.m."
 http://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/press/top/2004/10/2004-10-13-02.html

Oct 2005:
"This year, the precise time change occurs at 1:59 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 30 at which time clocks are set back to 1 a.m."
 http://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/press/top/2005/10/2005-10-17-02.html

Nov 2005  # this new release is in reference to proposed legislation for 2007:
"Currently, Manitobans advance their clocks forward by one hour at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday in April and turn them back at 2 a.m. the last Sunday in October."
http://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/press/top/2005/11/2005-11-02-06.html

I don't know if there was legislation to support the change in 2005.
The new releases above are not offical statues but they do come directly from the Manitoba government so I suppose we should trust them.

I think that the "Winn" rules need to be updated for 2005 and onwards.
The rules should use "2:00" instead of "2:00s".
Alternativily, America/Winnipeg could use the "Canada" rule from 2005 onwards.

I will send e-mail to INMS asking if they are aware of the change and if they have plans to update their web site.

-chris

-----Original Message-----
From: Chris Walton 
Sent: April 5, 2006 3:59 AM
To: tz at elsie.nci.nih.gov
Subject: Canada 2007 (was America/Vancouver 2007)

Sorry to change the subject line mid-thread but we seem to have jumped across the country.

Newfoundland has not made a decision on changes for 2007 yet.
Here is the latest press release which mentions the subject:
 http://www.releases.gov.nl.ca/releases/2006/mpa/0331n01.htm

I have not seen any announcements yet from Yukon, Northwest Territories, or Nunavut.
I don't know if we should expect the same type of official statutes and timely press releases that have come from the provincial governments.
However, if all three territories do decide to fall in line, NT_YK could be abandoned in favour of the "Canada" rule.

BC and Alberta could use the "Canada" rule, however, I won't lose sleep if we stay with Vanc and Edm.
In the end it makes no difference given that the rules are identical.

I think we need to take a close look at the "Winn" rules for Manitoba.
The current rule for the transition from daylight to standard time uses a time of "2:00s".
If I understand the syntax correctly this is the same as "3:00" or "3:00w".
The following three line note appears in the current northamerica tzdata file:

     "# From Paul Eggert (2000-10-02):
      # INMS (2000-09-12) says that, since 1988 at least, Manitoba switches from
      # DST at 03:00 local time.  For now, assume it started in 1987."

The INMS (Institute for National Measurement Standards) web site does indeed show that daylight savings in Manitoba ends at 03:00 CDT.  
  http://inms-ienm.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/en/faq_time_e.php#5
This "is" an official government web site but it is run by the federal government.
We have to remember that in Canada, daylight savings legislation is the responsibility of the provincial and territorial governments.

Here is a copy of the new official time act from the government of Manitoba web site.
  http://web2.gov.mb.ca/laws/statutes/ccsm/o030e.php
The act indicates that daylight savings ends at 2:00am.
To me, this implies 02:00 CDT and not 02:00 CST.  Would a lawyer interpret it differently?
I could not find a copy of the old act, so I don't know what it used to say.

I did find a news release from the Alberta government dated Oct 17/2005 which states:
"This year, the precise time change occurs at 1:59 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 30 at which time clocks are set back to 1 a.m."
 http://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/press/top/2005/10/2005-10-17-02.html
The news release is not an official document but I beginning to wonder if the 03:00 is just a typo on the INMS web site.
Is there anybody from Manitoba on this mailing list?
Is there any information other than the INMS web site that indicates Manitoba ever switched the clock at 3:00am?

-chris

-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Eggert [mailto:eggert at CS.UCLA.EDU]
Sent: Tue 4/4/2006 8:54 PM
To: tz at elsie.nci.nih.gov
Cc: Chris Walton
Subject: Re: America/Vancouver 2007

"Chris Walton" <Chris.Walton at telus.com> writes:

> http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2005-2009/2006AG0014-000330.h
> tm

Thanks for the heads-up.  I noticed this independently but your reference is better.

> If possible, can the appropriate changes be squeezed into 2006c?

Didn't quite make it, sorry.  It should be in the next version though.

> I think it makes sense to start using the existing "Canada" rules 
> which have already been updated instead of creating more "Vanc"
> rules.

Could be, since people are falling into line so quickly.  I guess we should do the same for Winn and Edm rules as well?  And NT_YK?

What about Newfoundland?