All parties in the House of Commons strongly criticized a report from the Canadian Human Rights Commission that called Christmas “racist” and “grounded in Canada’s history of colonialism.”According to Blacklock’s Reporter, the House disagreed and unanimously condemned the report.“It is still incredible we have to remind people Christmas is not discriminatory,” said Bloc Québécois House Leader Alain Therrien (La Prairie, QC), sponsor of the motion. “Everyone agrees on the importance of this.”The motion asked that MPs “denounce the comments of the Canadian Human Rights Commission,” “denounce any attempt at polarization” over Christmas and “unite during this Christmas period.” The House roared its approval amid shouts of “Merry Christmas!”Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre told the Commons the “rich cultural traditions Christians and many other Canadians share at this special time” should be honoured. “Affirm their right to celebrate freely,” said Poilievre.The Human Rights Commission issued a Discussion Paper on Religious Intolerance that said Jesus’ birth was an example of religious intolerance.“No one is free until we are all free,” wrote the Commission. “Many societies, including our own, have been constructed in a way that places value on certain traits or identities to the exclusion of others, for example, white, male, Christian.”“Discrimination against religious minorities in Canada is grounded in Canada’s history of colonialism,” said the Discussion Paper. “This history manifests itself in present-day systemic religious discrimination. An obvious example is statutory holidays in Canada.”“Statutory holidays related to Christianity, including Christmas and Easter, are the only Canadian statutory holidays linked to religious holy days,” wrote the Commission. “As a result, non-Christians may need to request special accommodation to observe their holy days.”“Canada’s history with religious intolerance is deeply rooted in our identity as a settler colonial state,” said the Discussion Paper. Parliament has observed Christmas since 1867.“If we want to end religious intolerance, it is important that we understand it,” said the Discussion Paper. “We need to understand how it persists, in what kinds of structures or practices it shows up and how it affects people’s lives. Most importantly, we need to listen and amplify the voices of people with lived experience. They are the ones who have been fighting the longest for systemic change.”
All parties in the House of Commons strongly criticized a report from the Canadian Human Rights Commission that called Christmas “racist” and “grounded in Canada’s history of colonialism.”According to Blacklock’s Reporter, the House disagreed and unanimously condemned the report.“It is still incredible we have to remind people Christmas is not discriminatory,” said Bloc Québécois House Leader Alain Therrien (La Prairie, QC), sponsor of the motion. “Everyone agrees on the importance of this.”The motion asked that MPs “denounce the comments of the Canadian Human Rights Commission,” “denounce any attempt at polarization” over Christmas and “unite during this Christmas period.” The House roared its approval amid shouts of “Merry Christmas!”Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre told the Commons the “rich cultural traditions Christians and many other Canadians share at this special time” should be honoured. “Affirm their right to celebrate freely,” said Poilievre.The Human Rights Commission issued a Discussion Paper on Religious Intolerance that said Jesus’ birth was an example of religious intolerance.“No one is free until we are all free,” wrote the Commission. “Many societies, including our own, have been constructed in a way that places value on certain traits or identities to the exclusion of others, for example, white, male, Christian.”“Discrimination against religious minorities in Canada is grounded in Canada’s history of colonialism,” said the Discussion Paper. “This history manifests itself in present-day systemic religious discrimination. An obvious example is statutory holidays in Canada.”“Statutory holidays related to Christianity, including Christmas and Easter, are the only Canadian statutory holidays linked to religious holy days,” wrote the Commission. “As a result, non-Christians may need to request special accommodation to observe their holy days.”“Canada’s history with religious intolerance is deeply rooted in our identity as a settler colonial state,” said the Discussion Paper. Parliament has observed Christmas since 1867.“If we want to end religious intolerance, it is important that we understand it,” said the Discussion Paper. “We need to understand how it persists, in what kinds of structures or practices it shows up and how it affects people’s lives. Most importantly, we need to listen and amplify the voices of people with lived experience. They are the ones who have been fighting the longest for systemic change.”
