The Canadian Human Rights Commission recently stated that statutory holidays for Christian celebrations is a form of discrimination rooted in Canada’s identity as a settler colonial state. Historian Gerry Bowler calls this part of a “war on Christmas”, driven by those seeking to secularize public life. In “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,” loss of joy due to downplaying or outright cancellation of Christmas in society is illustrated. Communist regimes in China and the Soviet Union have cancelled Christmas due to their fundamentally atheist nature. The Canadian Human Rights Commission’s report also states that favour should not be given to identities such as “white, male, Christian,” as it excludes others.
Just as Ded Moroz became more secular under Soviet rule, there are efforts in Canada to separate Christmas traditions from the celebration of Jesus’s birth. Mr. Bowler notes these efforts extend to public school “winter pageants” and bans on red and green decorations. Although these incidents have met pushback, the tradition of Christmas endures. For instance, after Boston referred to a Christmas tree as a “holiday tree” in 2005, public reactions led many people to dress as Santa in protest.
Regarding Canadian military’s ban on prayer and secular scrutiny of Canada Day, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called Christmas “not racist.” However, the Canadian Human Rights Commission’s report led to denouncement of its claim that Christmas is discriminatory. While the effort to downplay Christmas in the name of diversity has been mentioned, majority of non-Christians in Canada are okay with being wished a “Merry Christmas” and 70 percent of Canadians say it instead of “Happy Holidays.”
Despite attempts to downplay Christmas, majority of Canadians of other faiths are supportive of Christmas celebrations in Canada. It is considered a major cultural gift to the world and Christians continue to celebrate it.