Nova Scotia's big retailers duck Sunday shopping ban

The grocery chain Sobeys Inc. has become the latest large retailer to defy a longtime Nova Scotia law and openits doors to shoppers on Sunday.

The province limitsopenings to stores with an area of under 4,000 square feet and some specialized businesses.

But Sobeys was able to sidestep the ban to opensix supermarkets by dividing each oneinto separate, licensedbusinesses, including afish store, a fruit stand, the bakery anda deli.

Thatenabled Sobeys — a national chain based in Nova Scotia —to live within the letter of the law.

Itjoined the ranks of several other big retailers. A week earlier, Superstore (owned by Loblaw Inc.) opened a location in downtown Halifax on Sunday by closing off half of the storeand dividing the open sections into separate businesses. Pete's Frootiquestores in Halifax and Bedford have made the same move.Shoppers Drug Mart had long been allowedto open as a drugstore — butrecently also began stocking morefood.

'Our morals weren't affected'

Sobeys and Loblaw have complained to the province about the ban, saying they were losing business.

As Sobeys kept six stores open for a seventh straight day, a companyspokesman said there was clearly a demand for Sunday shopping.

Some of the customers who were on hand said they liked being able to have the choice of shopping or not.

Pamela Chisolm ofHalifaxwas among the customers, stoppingby to pick up some foodfor a Father's Day party.

"I wanted to make a point that I was shopping on Sunday. I lived in Toronto for 10 years and we went through shopping there and everybody did it. Our morals weren't affected, family morals, which seems to be a big issue here."

Openings defy will of voters, critics say

The issue has a long history in Nova Scotia, with voters rejecting Sunday opening by 55 per cent to 45 per cent in a plebiscite in October 2004.

Deacon Bob Britton, a member of a coalition that opposes Sunday shopping, said the big retailers are defying the outcome of theplebiscite by staying open on Sunday.

"It's kind of saying almost to the people of Nova Scotia, you know, 'What was decided democratically is irrelevant,'" Britton said.

On Friday, provincial NDP Leader Darrell Dexter said the openings suggest that the law cannot be enforced because of loopholes.

Premier Rodney MacDonald said the province would enforce the law, but there would not be another vote on Sunday shoppinguntil 2007.