By Jill

The year is 5766. Davenport M.P.P. Tony Ruprecht issues free calendars to his constituents. Torontoist decides to use its calendar because wasting paper is bad— worse even than the dismal layout of Mr. Ruprecht’s calendar. Besides, that spot on the wall has been bare ever since the frolicking Daschunds of 2005 went out of style.
April. The non-denominational Torontoist consults its calendar for advice about when not to interrupt its Jewish compatriots, mid-Passover. Torontoist is disappointed. The former Pope and Ruprecht lock in a warm embrace. Happy Easter, indeed. Enjoy your Earth Day. But what of Passover?
Torontoist is driven to Wikipedia. Wikipedia fills Torontoist in about Passover, and Ruprecht, too.

• Passover (commemorates the Exodus and freedom of the Israelites from ancient Egypt.
• Passover marks the “birth” of the Jewish nation.
• Together with Sukkot and Shavuot, Passover is one of the three pilgrim festivals (Shalosh Regalim) during which the entire Jewish populace made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in the days of the Holy Temple.
• Outside Israel, Passover is celebrated for 8 days, with the first two days and last two days celebrated as full festivals.

• Tony Ruprecht has been a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario since 1981.
• Tony Ruprecht is a member of the Knights of Malta, which was apparently formed during the Crusades for the protection of Christian pilgrims to Jerusalem.
• Tony Ruprecht’s past ministerial responsibilities have included multiculturalism.

A Ruprecht office rep at Queen’s Park cannot confirm what month Passover is in (probably has the same calendar) but agrees that it is unusual for a minister with multicultural interests to overlook the major religious holidays of anyone not Polish and Catholic. After all, even the Daschunds knew when Passover was.