A citizen of Steinbach has re-opened the discussion over Sunday shopping. David Banman made a presentation to city council Tuesday saying that it is time to think seriously about allowing full Sunday Shopping in Steinbach. He adds, in many ways, it's already happening.

David Banman addresses city council."I think I can say pretty much with certainty that every one of us in this room has been a Sunday shopper in Steinbach over the past couple of months. Whether we're buying gas for a vehicle at Co-op, having lunch at a restaurant after church, swimming at the Aquatic Centre, attending a Pistons' hockey game or buying a loaf of bread at the convenience store, all these actions are considered Sunday Shopping. They require people to work and serve us."

Banman wonders why it's okay for people to go to a restaurant to order a meal on a Sunday but they cannot go to a grocery store to buy the same food.

"One of the things that bothers me the most is that Sunday Shopping laws aren't necessarily applied equally across the board. I'm not sure how we can tell a food server at Smitty's that he or she doesn't deserve the day off, but somebody who works at grocery store does. I can have a chef prepare a meal for me at a restaurant but I can't buy the same ingredients at a grocery store to cook for myself on the same day. You can go to the movies but you can't necessarily go to Walmart to buy that same movie if you want to watch it at home."

He adds worship patterns have also changed, depending on your religious affiliation and Holy days for various people fall on either Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

"Worship services are not just held at one time of the day or one day of the week anymore, they're spread out over the day and over the week as well. The fact of the matter is that Sunday Shopping laws don't really serve the purpose for which they were designed anymore and they don't reflect the realities of how we live our lives in the community today."

Banman acknowledges this is a touchy subject for politicians but adds Steinbach has changed a lot over the years and Sunday Shopping is here.

"I think the main aspects of this debate are, equal treatment for workers and a choice for consumers, who have the opportunity today to decide what their day of rest is going to be, whether that's Sunday or a different day."

He suggests it's time the city's bylaws reflect that.

"I think if you look back, things actually have changed a lot in the last 40 years. I remember growing up as a kid 40-some years ago and walking down Main Street and you couldn't find a restaurant open and you'd be lucky to find a gas station that would serve you. Nothing was open, everybody spent the day at home. That just doesn't happen today. Today, people are moving around and doing a lot of different activities and using different services that are available to them, that are open here in Steinbach on Sunday, never mind the people getting in their cars and going to Winnipeg to shop. I think with all these changes that have happened, it's hard to argue that keeping this inconsistent arrangement about which businesses can stay open and which can stay closed is really in the best interest of the city."

We will bring you reaction from Steinbach city councillors later today.